Curse of the Sea Horse
by riyaaanu
Summary: Male sea horses get pregnant. Why would Hatori be any different? :: Some anime and manga spoilers inside... DISCONTINUED until further notice.
1. Chapter 1

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter I.

* * *

**

Hatori sat up, his hand over his mouth and eyes wide in apprehension. Then, a second later, he threw himself off his bed and rushed into the bathroom and threw up the moment he reached the sink. He vomited until he threw up everything he had eaten the night before.

After a while, feeling his stomach turned inside out, he was finally able to turn the faucet on and washed his mouth and face with the cold water. Sagging weakly against the sink, he breathed heavily while trying to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand. He shut his eyes tightly and tried to regain his focus.

What the hell has been happening to him?

He had thrown up almost every morning during the last week and several more times during the day. He was certain that he never ate anything unhealthy or anything that shouldn't be eaten, so food poisoning couldn't be the cause. His water supply was one of the cleanest in the Estate, considering his job, so cholera was not possible.

He felt his stomach clench again, and his hands automatically few up to his mouth, gagging painfully, hoping the clenching would stop. He hadn't had anything more left in his stomach to throw up. A moment later, the convulsions of his stomach ceased, and he was left feeling more exhausted than ever.

"What the hell…" he muttered to himself as he pushed himself off the sink and grabbed a towel on his way out of the bathroom. Pressing his face on the towel, he went on his kitchen to fix his breakfast.

He poured a cereal onto his bowl and opened his fridge to get the carton of milk. He stopped short, however on seeing the huge basket of green mangoes filling up his counter.

Frowning, he took a fruit in his hand, trying to remember where he got them. He _never_ eats unripe mangoes. Then, his eyebrow arching in surprise, he realized he bought it himself when he last went to the market. Shrugging nonchalantly, he took a fruit with him in the table and began to eat.

* * *

Shigure stepped in Hatori's porch, listening intently. His sharp ears jerked when he heard the sound of footsteps within and a smile broke into his features. He raised an arm and began knocking—no, _slamming_ was the right word— his fist on the door. 

"Haa-san. Haa-san! HAA-SAN! HAAAAA-SAAAA—"

The door opened and a pale-looking Hatori stared sourly at him. "What?"

Shigure raised a hand in greeting. "Good morning! I just wanted to see if my favorite dragon's ready for tonight's special dinner at my house!"

Hatori gazed at him for a second before slamming the door on Shigure's face.

"Aww, Haa-san…" whined Shigure. "It's an invitation! Open up!"

The door opened again and Hatori glared at him. "What do you want, Shigure?"

"Really, I want to invite you for dinner and see how you're doing now," replied Shigure, allowing himself inside. He heard the sea horse sigh in annoyance and closed the door after him.

"I'm fine. Now can you just leave me alone? I'm feeling sick already without hearing your perverted comments."

"What's this? Hatori Sohma is feeling sick?" gasped the dog, turning towards his cousin with a shocked expression. "Why, that's as unnatural as me not liking high school girls in short skirts!"

Hatori closed his eyes and massaged his temples. "Shigure, I'm not in the mood for your unintelligible ramblings. Go and bother Ayame instead or anyone else. Just—just let me be. And, will you call the hospital for me? Tell them I'll take a sick leave."

Shigure took a good look at his cousin and approached him with growing concern in his eyes. "Okay, Haa-san, you're starting to worry me. You never call a sick leave until you're short of dying. What's happening to you?"

The sea horse shook his head and wiped the thin sheet of perspiration that covered his forehead. "It's nothing. Fatigue, headache, nausea… they're symptoms of common fever. I'll just have rest and some medications and I'll be fine."

The dog was doubtful. "You look far from fine, Haa-san," he said, taking his cousin's arm to help him. "I mean, you looked beat. Have you been drinking last night? Why do you go drinking alone? You could've invited me! So selfish…" he pouted.

The sea horse snatched his arm away and staggered to a nearby wall. He looked livid, to the surprise of the dog. "I didn't drink last night. Maybe I had, but that was week's ago. Why are you still here? I told you to leave. I'm going to be fine."

"But Haa-san…" the dog tried to reach out to him again, but Hatori slid weakly to the floor. "H-haa-san!"

To the utter confusion and shock of Shigure, the sea horse looked up to him, tears streaming on his face. "I told you to leave me alone!" he shouted, alarming the dog further. Hatori rarely cried, and he almost never raises his voice to anyone. "Why can't you just leave?" he yelled before sobs took over his body.

Shigure, who had been frozen in shock from the sea horse's outburst, sprang into action.

He took hold of Hatori's arm and hauled him over his back before hurrying to the sea horse's bedroom. Laying him down carefully on the bed, he dashed next to the kitchen and retrieved a glass of cold water. He sat beside the quivering form of his cousin, and wiped the sweat-drenched face of Hatori with his own handkerchief.

"Here, Haa-san, drink up," Shigure coaxed. He waited patiently for his cousin to turn to him and sat up gingerly rubbing his visible eye. When his hand flew towards the other eye, Shigure grabbed his hand on time. "Now, Haa-san… your eye hasn't fully healed yet. No rubbing, scrubbing or scratching."

Hatori just stared at him, as if he hadn't understood what he just said. Shigure's frown deepened. "Haa-san?"

"Shigure," said Hatori abruptly, still staring unseeingly towards him.

"Hm?"

Hatori cocked his head while touching his tear-streaked face with a hand. "Did I jut… cry?"

The dog opened his mouth uncertainly, not knowing if he should tell the truth. Hatori hated losing control, just like the way he hated grieving still over losing Kana, how he hated crying over her photographs and their shared memories. "Uh…"

"Shit..." said Hatori in a hollow voice. Then, both of his hands flew up to clutch his hair. "No! NO! This _cannot_ be happening! Why? Why me?"

Shigure's face turned grim. The tragic end of his cousin's happiness was still too vivid even to him, though it was almost two months ago. He felt helpless, just as he did when he watched Akito slammed that vase in Hatori's face.

"Hatori," he said, with increasing resolve. This couldn't go on like this. Hatori must learn to move on. He forced his cousin to look at him. "Pull yourself together, Hatori! This isn't like you!"

But it seemed that the sea horse didn't hear him. "Nausea, fatigue, headaches… sleepiness… body aches, frequent urination…" he kept mumbling under his breath.

Now, Shigure was starting to get really confused and anxious. "Uh… Haa-san, what are you—"

Suddenly, Hatori grabbed him by the shoulders, with a wild look on his face that made Shigure gulp nervously. "Leg cramps! Indigestion, craving for unusual food, mood swings! _Kami-sama_! Do you know what these even mean?"

The dog was panicking now. What's happening to Hatori? Had he gone mad?

Hatori's hands fell limp on his side, but the wild look never left his face. "Oh, _Kami-sama_ … this couldn't be happening… this couldn't…" his voice faded to incoherent mumblings. Then, his head bowed, he fell silent.

The silence stretched. Shigure swallowed nervously and peered at his cousin's face. "Haa-san…"

"Tell me something, Shigure," said Hatori abruptly in his normal voice. Shigure sighed in relief.

"Sure! Anything! I—"

"It's been two months right? Since Kana—"

"Yes, yes," replied Shigure in a hurry, uncertain on how easily Hatori opened that topic when he hadn't spoken about that since—

"Right…" said Hatori matter-of-factly. "So my worst nightmare came true after all…"

"Um, which is…"

Hatori gazed at him grimly. "I'm pregnant."

* * *

**A/N:**

A story of the Mabudachi Trio as Hatori live out his worst nightmare. Set some three years before the canon of Fruits Basket…

_Edit:_

Corrected several lines and grammar… Please tell me if I missed anything.. Thanks! (-,-)v


	2. Chapter 2

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter II.

* * *

**

"AHAHAHAHA! AHIHIHIHI! WAHAHAHA!"

"AHOHOHO! BWAHAHAHA! AHIKHIKHIK!

Hatori exhaled a long stream of smoke before cursing under his breath. He glanced back at the room where the dog and the snake were on the ground, rolling helplessly and laughing like mad.

The snake had arrived unexpectedly moments ago, and the dog, not even through with his first bouts of laughter, had set off laughing again after telling the story. And now, the snake's booming voice joined the dog's, to the doctor's irritation.

Hatori sighed, and said, "Are you done yet?"

"AHIHI—ha? Oh, n-not j-just yet—AHAHAHA!" managed Shigure, trying to sit up but still doubling over with his laughter. He half-heartedly tried to reduce his laughing fit into quiet giggles. "O-okay, Haa-san—ahaha—I can manage—ahihihi—I can mange now…"

Hatori turned to him, his words icy. "I have a special needle I've been keeping in store just for the two of you."

Shigure and Ayame immediately swallowed the last of their giggles, though ridiculously wide grins were still plastered on their faces. Ayame pushed himself off the wall, which he had been hanging on to while he laughed and flicked his silvery hair on his back.

"Tori-san, we just happen to be absolutely delighted for you," said the snake earnestly while his lips kept quirking upwards. "Is that so bad?"

"We'll behave, Haa-san," promised Shigure, while stifling another fit of giggles.

The sea horse sighed and leaned his tall frame against the door. "You'd better or else I'll make sure you suffer terribly on your next checkup," he said simply, putting the cigarette back on his lips.

Ayame suddenly gave a sharp cry of indignation. The snake stood up and slithered over Hatori with a disapproving look on his face. "Now, Tori-san, if you're going to be a good mommy—"

"I'm not going to be a mother," said Hatori through gritted teeth.

"—You must take care of your health and the child's!" with that, Ayame plucked out the cigarette from Hatori's fingers and tossed it into the pond. He wagged a finger at the sea horse. "Smoking is bad for the health of Mommy sea horse—

"I'm NOT a mother," snarled Hatori, his eyes narrowing in fury. "Nor am I actually a sea horse."

"A dragon who turns into sea horse?" supplied Shigure with a shrug, before leaping quickly behind the bedroom dresser when something sharp and shiny whizzed through the air. Shigure glanced at the scalpel that landed where he had been moments ago and wailed, "Haa-san, you're not trying to kill poor me, are you? How can I be called 'Uncle Shigure' when I'm dead?"

Hatori stalked to him until they were standing face to face. "You're not going to be anyone's uncle anytime soon," he said evenly, gazing into the dog's eyes. "There will be no child."

Shigure's eyes widened. "What are you talking about, Haa-san?" he demanded. "You're not going to—"

"No! Tori-san!" cried the snake in horror. He was covering his mouth and his yellow eyes glazed with tears.

"I will," said Hatori with certainty.

"Nooo!" wailed the snake, launching himself to grasp the sea horse's coat. "You can't, Tori-san! How could you?"

"It's the most logical thing to do. You can't force me into carrying this child for more than a day," Hatori paused when he saw Ayame and Shigure exchange a glance. Then, as one, they turned to him.

"Child?" they asked, expressions confused.

Now, Hatori was confused. "Yes, isn't that what were talking about? The child I'm carrying?"

To his utter surprise and bewilderment, the dog and the snake burst out laughing.

Shigure was once again doubled over with laughter. "Aa, Haa-san! We're sorry. We forgot about the child."

"Forgot? How could you forgot when that's what we've—wait," he glared at them. "What exactly have you two been saying the whole time?"

"Tori-san! I thought you're going to do that dirty thing with Gure-san! And you know that I'll just die with envy if that happens," said Ayame winking mischievously at him, making Hatori's blood run cold.

"That's… what we've been talking about?"

"For a time now, yes," replied Shigure grinning widely. "So, Haa-san, I never thought you fancied me like that! Oooh, I should've known! If you'd tell me earlier on why we must have—"

"Gure-san," whispered Ayame, eyes going wide as he backed into the garden slowly. "I think you'd better stop now."

"But Aaya! It was just getting fun," whined Shigure, but a glance at the face of the doctor made him froze. He held up a shaky finger upwards. "A-aa… I think I'm going to t-the bathroom," stammered the dog before running for his life.

Hatori took a step to follow him to be stopped by the snake. "Get out of the way, Ayame. I have a dog to castrate."

"Tori-san, Tori-san," said the snake shaking his head. He draped his arm over the sea horse's form and guided him to the bed. "You shouldn't overexert yourself. Expectant mothe—_parent_, I mean, should get enough rest and food. And also a new wardrobe!" here, Ayame's eyes sparkled. "Oh, Tori-san! I shall make you the most wonderful and the prettiest maternity dress that shall ever be conceived out of the minds of men! Your child shall delight on the grandeur that you will be in—"

"Ayame, I will abort this pregnancy."

"The wonderful set of silks and linen! Oh, how gorgeous you will be especially in my own glorious design—what did you say?"

Hatori sighed and repeated, "I'm going to abort the pregnancy. I can't go through with this."

Ayame still stared at him blankly. "I beg your pardon, Tori-san, but I still didn't seem to hear that clearly."

"You heard me. I'm going to a specialist later to have it removed," said Hatori trying to sound indifferent. He felt the bitter inside, but he was certain he was doing the right thing.

"What?" asked Shigure by the doorway, frowning. Apparently, he figured that the danger of him dying at the doctor's hands had subsided for now. He approached his cousins and the shock in his eyes became clearer. "Haa-san, why the hell would you do that?"

Ayame was also in shock. He stared at the sea horse with a hurt look.

"I cannot carry through this pregnancy," Hatori said calmly, though inside, he was just as confused and shocked as they were. Why was he feeling this way? This was for the best, right? "There are too many complications that will arise should I decided to get through with this."

"Like what?" demanded Ayame.

"First, I have no right to carry this child. This should be Kana's, not mine," as he said those words, Hatori felt his heart bled once more. Why should he be the one left with the one remembrance of their happy times together and not her who needs it more? He shook his head and continued.

"Second, a man simply can't be seen by normal people being pregnant. Third, male sea horses' lives are in danger once they get pregnant, and I'm not about to risk my life just yet. And finally..." he paused, not sure how to voice his greatest misgiving about being pregnant to his cousins. It was hard enough that the two of them were frowning disapprovingly at him.

"What, Hatori?"asked Shigure, his frowning depening.

Hatori looked away, and said, "...Akito will not be pleased when this news reached her ears... S-she would want me to get rid of it... That's why I'd rather do it now than wait until I get emotionally attached to the child. Now do you understand why I need to do this?"

His explanation received no response. Obviously, only now had they've been hit by the gravity of the situation. Shigure had bowed his head, while Ayame was staring at him with tear-filled eyes.

"Oh, Tori-san," murmured Ayame, touching Hatori's hand. "We never thought of it that way… forgive us."

Hatori nodded soundlessly. He didn't trust his voice at that moment, fearing they'd break on the amount of emotions he held back. So he proved it true, that expectant mothers could be very emotional.

"No."

Ayame and Hatori looked up at the resolute voice of Shigure. He still had his head bowed.

"What are you saying, Shigure?" asked Hatori.

Shigure raised his head, an angry look gleaming in his eyes, surprising both the snake and the sea horse. "No. You can't do that, Hatori."

"Why not?"

"Other dragons had endured the same fate as you do every generation. So why can't you do it?" the dog threw an accusing glance at the doctor. "They willingly endured the pregnancy despite what other people said, and the danger it held. Why are you backing out of this? Are you afraid of pain, of hurts? I used to believe that Hatori Sohma is one of the bravest people alive… I didn't know you're such a shitless bastard."

Never had Shigure spoken at him with so much disappointment before, and with such seriousness. Hatori found the dog's words stinging despite the strong defenses he built around himself. But, even before he had time to respond, the dog spoke again.

"And haven't you thought of your profession? You're a doctor, damn it!" yelled Shigure shaking Hatori's shoulders. "How can you speak of abortion so freely? You're meant to save lives, not end it! If killing Kana's and your child is your means of finally mending your broken heart, then let me tell you this," he paused, breathing deeply and a look of hurt in his eyes, but continued with a strong voice.

"If that's what you're meant to do to escape from hurting, then I'm ashamed to have called you my friend!"

With that, Shigure stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him, leaving his best friends in shock. Ayame had covered his mouth the whole time, blinking hard through his tears. He stared after the dog before turning to the pale and frozen sea horse beside him. The snake wrapped his arms about the doctor.

"Hatori," he whispered, and in some other time, Hatori would have been surprised, to say the least, at the unexpected maturity of his often-childish cousins, but unfortunately, it was not then. All he could think just then was the look of disappointment Shigure left him. "He didn't mean it. He cares for you as deeply as I do, maybe more so… please don't take it too seriously…"

Hatori nodded stiffly, unable to speak. He barely noticed the snake whisper some more words to him before leaving his side and following the dog outside.

He was left alone in his room, not knowing what to feel at the novelist's stinging words.

* * *

**A/N:**

_Edit:_

Corrected/edited/added several lines and grammar…Nothing major, just a few tweaks here and there... (-,-)

Please tell me if I missed anything.. Thanks! (-,-)v


	3. Chapter 3

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter III.**

* * *

Ayame closed the door behind him. He had a very sad look on his pale face and felt torn inside. He bit his lower lip, unable to take sides in the previous argument between Hatori and Shigure, though he was more inclined to agree with the dog's sentiments. He knew he mustn't take anyone's side, and remain neutral as to not to hurt either the dog's or the sea horse's feelings. 

He sighed and gazed at the clear blue sky above him.

It was such a shame… what should be a joyous moment for Hatori, became instead the one thing he would hate to go through. Because of a curse, a demented head of the family, and a life full of false hope, everything seems to be crashing down faster than ever for the doctor.

Ayame shook his head to rid the depressing thoughts. It made him even more solemn, and it was getting difficult for him, who was never solemn at all if he could help it. A rustle from the bushes at his left caught his attention.

"Gure-san?"

The dark head of the dog popped out of the bushes with a wide smile. "Aaya! Get in here, quick!"

Without even asking why he had to sit in the dirt amidst the bushes under Hatori's bedroom window with a smiling dog, Ayame said happily, "Okay!"

"Did it work?" asked Shigure pulling Ayame closer to him as they both crouched down, peering carefully in their friend's bedroom. The sea horse was sitting on his bed, staring at the frame in his hands, and does not seem aware that he was being spied upon.

"Work?" repeated the snake rather confusedly, and then he caught Shigure's expression. "That was an act?" he asked, surprised.

"Well, the last bit, I suppose…" said Shigure, his face softening. "I would never be ashamed to have Haa-san as a friend, but I felt I need to say that…"

Ayame studied his friend's countenance. The dog had a smile on his face as he talked. Only that sad glint in his eyes told the snake how much the novelist was loath to hurt their friend. But he knew Shigure better than the dog expected of him. Ayame was certain Shigure would willingly hurt the people he cares for, if what they did afterwards would be for their own benefit.

"Gure-san, I always knew you had it in you!" cried Ayame, flinging his arms over Shigure's neck. He had to act normally at least, so as not to add to his friends' depression. "Now, Tori-san would keep the child and I can dress him up! Oh, that would be so satisfying!"

Shigure grinned in his usual teasing way. "What about you dressing me out, Aaya? That would certainly satisfy both of us…"

Ayame recognized Shigure's playful tone, glad that the dog took his hint, and smiled brilliantly in response. "Oh, Gure-san, I'd willingly to do that and much, much more…" he leaned his face closer to he dog's amused face and added in a seductive tone, "But let us wait until dark, innocent eyes are bound to see our rather… _emptying_ exercise."

"Innocent eyes?" questioned Shigure, before a small blond head poked in the bushes to stare at them with large honey-colored eyes.

"Shii-chan! Aya-chan! What are you doing in the bushes? Are you playing hide-and-seek with Hari? Can I join you? Can I? Can I?" asked the young boy in one breath.

Ayame and Shigure sweat dropped. "E-eh?"

* * *

"Kana, we're going to have a child… but I can't have anything more to do with you. If I did, our child will hurt the most. I don't want that to happen… Please, Kana, I have to let this child go…." 

Hatori gazed at the framed picture of Kana. He let his finger trace her face lovingly, as he had done hundreds of times during the last two months. In the stillness of the room, he could see nothing but her beautiful face, could hear nothing but her voice and smell nothing but her scent that always reminds him of the spring she loved.

Memories flashed in his mind, like an old silent movie, they replayed over and over again; blurry and cracked in some parts, too bright and vivid for some, but they all had the same effect on him.

"_Hatori!" _

He turned to the door abruptly, his body stiffening. He had almost expected to see her petite form leaning by the doorway and waving her hand energetically at him. But, of course, the room was still empty. He was alone…

"_Hatori! (huff! huff!) Hatori! Run a little bit slower! My legs aren't as long as yours, you big oaf!"_

_Hatori paused to watch Kana some distance away to catch up with him. She stopped halfway, leaning on her knees and panting heavily. The sun was setting, coloring the empty beach and its shores a soft red and purple hue._

"_Why did you go off running anyway? We could've just walked instead! "_

"_Stop whining and hurry up!" he called, grinning when she threw him an angry look._

"_I'm not whining!" she yelled, her hands on her hips._

"_Yes, you are," he answered simply, knowing she'd do something amusing soon. "You're a whiner."_

"_I AM NOT!" she screamed before running again._

_Hatori's eyes widened as she came charging towards him. "H-hey! S-stop! Kana—OOOFF"_

_POOF!_

"_Aaaah!" she screamed in panic through the white smoke. She shoved his shirt aside and gently lifted out the tiny, convulsing sea horse in her hand. Then, kicking off her sandals unceremoniously, she ran to the sea and filled her cupped hand with sea water, allowing the sea horse to breath properly. _

"_I-I'm so sorry, Hatori," she said glumly, cradling the sea horse carefully. "I shouldn't have done that… I—I shouldn't have! Oh, I'm so stupid! I'm so very sorry…"_

_The sea horse just blinked at her, but he moved until he had hooked his tail on her thumb before blinking again._

_POOF!_

"_AAAAAHHHH!" screamed Kana before shutting her eyes tightly._

_Hatori laughed and dressed quickly. He went back to Kana who still had her eyes shut. "Hey, I'm finished," he smiled at her as she carefully opened her eyes. He offered his hand to her and pulled her up._

"_Hatori, I'm so sorry about that," she said miserably, her eyes pointed downwards. "How could I forget? It was so stupid of me—"_

_He silenced her with a quick kiss that made her eyes snap towards him. He grinned, "You talk too much," he answered calmly to her silent question._

"_Hatori," she whispered, her hand reaching to take his. "Not like that… Please."_

_Hatori gazed at her eyes filled with so much love for him. "Kana…"_

_As his free hand rose to caress her cheek, her eyes closed, savoring his touch. "Hatori," she said quietly, "I love you…"_

_He didn't reply. He didn't need to… The kiss he gave her then spoke clearly for him… _

"Hari…"

Hatori looked up and was surprised to see Momiji standing in front of him and peering at his face with his honeyed eyes. He blinked at him, before putting the framed photograph down.

"Momiji, how was school today?" he asked the twelve year old rabbit while trying to dispel the once happy yet now depressing memories that kept returning back to him.

"Everything's fun Hari! All my classmates are so nice to me, and we played the whole time! Haru's a bit grumpy with the other kids at first but I pleaded with him to join us, and he did and I can tell he really enjoyed the games and now he was lost again when we were heading here! But don't worry, Hari, he's just around the Estate somewhere and Kagura-chan's looking for him now, and with Kyo too."

In the course of the minute that the bubbly rabbit told his tale, Hatori found himself opening his mouth to interrupt twice but couldn't find a chance. Sighing, he forced out a small smile. "Well, we shouldn't worry after all."

Momiji nodded before sitting beside him in the bed and began to study Hatori's face. "Hari," he spoke in his childish voice. "Why are you crying?"

Hatori raised his eyebrow on the rabbit. "Do I look like I'm crying?"

"Yes," answered Momiji. He dangled his legs on the edge of the bed and leaned forward, peering curiously at the sea horse. "Why are you crying?"

"How can you tell I'm crying when I don't have any tears, Momiji?"

The child contemplated silently, a finger tapping on his chin. "You don't need tears to cry, Hari."

Hatori breath caught in throat as he heard the words of the child. He always knew that the rabbit was clever and kindhearted at the same time. That was part of the reason why he volunteered to act as the child's guardian when the rabbit's mother disowned Momiji in the first place.

"I cried too, when my Mama decided to forget me, but I don't cry as much now," said Momiji, smiling through the hurtful words he just uttered. "Sometimes, at night, I feel lonely and miss her so bad, and I felt like I was crying when I'm actually not. I would touch my face and I find them dry, when I'm certain that I really cried," continued the rabbit, swinging his legs steadily. Young but wise eyes looked up to him.

"I always felt that way when I thought of my Mama. I know that she would get better if she would forget I lived so I try to accept it and be not selfish. And after all," he smiled brightly then. "Living with you and Haru has always been so fun!"

Hatori silently watched the child dug into his pockets and produced brightly wrapped lollipop. He took the sea horse's hand and placed the lolly in it. "You're giving me this?" he asked quietly.

Momiji hopped off the bed and beamed at him. "Hai! That kind of lolly always makes me feel better when I'm sad. You should try it, Hari!"

Hatori smiled slightly, feeling comforted by the child's wisdom and his optimism. "Thank you, Momiji," he said, accepting the lollipop.

"Yay!" cried Momiji happily and twirling on the spot. "I'll name this event 'When Hari Eats the Lolly of Happiness!'"

The sea horse sweat dropped. "You don't have to title it."

Momiji just giggled and hugged the doctor. "I love you, Hari! I feel like you're a real brother to me! And that's great! I always wanted to have a sibling!"

Chuckling quietly, Hatori patted the blond head of the rabbit affectionately. "Go on outside, Momiji… help the others find Hatsuharu and bring him in right after… We're going to eat outside."

"Really? Yay! You're the best, Hari!" cried the excited rabbit, already hopping his way out of the room. But suddenly, he paused by the doorway and looked back with a wide smile. "I'm glad you're not crying now, Hari. See you later!" then, he was gone, singing happily as he went.

Hatori listened until the voice of the rabbit faded outside. He sighed and let himself fall unceremoniously on his bed. The cramps on his back were increasing by the moment, reminding him of the situation he was in.

But seeing and talking to the young rabbit did many things to Hatori. He wasn't as deluded now as to think he could just escape what fate brought him. A small child like Momiji had learned to cope with such a difficult and painful event in his life, why not a full-grown man like him? Like Momiji, he could, and _would_, make it through this alive and well. He wouldn't be selfish as to think of his own welfare like what he did earlier.

His fist clenched and his eyes narrowed when he remembered Shigure's earlier words.

How dare Shigure accuse him of cowardice and of not considering his options? He's the Zodiac's dragon, albeit a sea horse, but a dragon nonetheless. Courage and deep thoughts were of second nature to him.

Hatori was going to make the dog regret his words. The doctor would be certain of that.

"Kana... I've decided..." Hatori glanced at the picture of the woman he loved but could never be his, a hand sliding on his still-flat stomach. "I'm going to have our child."

* * *

Momiji skipped happily back at the gardens behind Hatori's house before pausing by the thick bushes under a window. "I'm baack!" he announced. 

Ayame and Shigure emerged from the bushes with wide grins.

"Congratulations, Momitchi! You've done a wonderful job!" said Shigure proudly, patting the youngsters back. "I couldn't have done it better!"

Momiji beamed at his older cousins. "I did well didn't I? I made Hari smile! It was such a nice thing to do! And since I made him smile, he's taking us out to dinner!"

"Very good, Momit-chan!" thrilled Ayame taking hold of the exuberant rabbit and swinging him around, making the youngster giggle loudly. "You've just saved Tori-san's baby!"

Momiji frowned. "Baby?"

Shigure appeared in front of him waving his hand. "Oh, it's nothing. What Aaya was trying to say is that your gift is waiting for you!"

Apparently, he had just spoken the magic words. "Yay! Yay! Gift! Gift for making Hari smile! Yay!" cried the rabbit wile bouncing excitedly. "Fifty yen! Oh, so many sweets I can buy! HAAARRRUUU! Where are you? We're going to buy candies!"

Ayame and Shigure watched with large sweat drops as the rabbit shoot off in the direction of the Main House, calling loudly for the missing ox. Then they turned to each other and grinned widely.

"YES!" they both said.

* * *

Hatori watched the exchange from his window. Shaking his head, he muttered, "Idiots." 

But the faint smile on his lips didn't fade.

_They're both demented fools… but it would seem that I owe them… A lot…__

* * *

_

**A/N: **

_About the flashback thing:_ I got the idea for this flashback on an image I saw from a site featuring Hatori and Kana about to share a kiss in a beach setting with a rosy sunset. It's featured in the anime when Hatori invited Tohru at his house, if I'm not mistaken. I don't like Kana much because I think she's such a weakling but in that pic, they look so sweet and so much in love! I could just picture that this was also the night when er... the 'conception' began! (-,-)

_Edit:_

Corrected/edited/added several lines and grammar…Nothing major, just a few tweaks here and there... (-,-)

Please tell me if I missed anything.. Thanks! (-,-)v


	4. Chapter 4

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter IV.**

* * *

"Psst, Gure-san!"

Shigure looked up from the book he was poring over and turned to the snake across him on the table. They were in the Sohma family's library, which was overseen by a very strict librarian. To talk loudly was a grave sin for her and deals with the offender mercilessly, as everyone who had been there knew, so Shigure was mildly surprised for Ayame to risk being caught.

The snake was hiding behind a thick book and was gesturing for him to lean closer. The dog did so, whispering, "What is it, Aaya? Did you find anything?"

Ayame shook his head. "But I just thought of something."

"What about?"

"How do you think Tori-san and Kana-san did it?" asked the snake, his yellow eyes twinkling with mischief.

Shigure smirked. "I tried asking him about it after you've gone, but I got smacked in the head… it seems that Haa-san wouldn't want to share his secret with us..." then he slid his arms on the table and rest his chin on them, before pouting. "Haa-san beat us into getting laid by someone we actually care for. Such a shame… it sure beats getting laid by a random high school girl, no mater how plenty they are."

"Now, Gure-san, I won't tolerate cheating… You know I'll always be here for you."

"Forgive me Aaya. Of course you're the only one for me."

They both grinned and with thumbs up, they both chimed, "YES!"

The librarian swooped over them, and almost immediately, both the dog and the snake were back on their books, innocently glancing up to the old librarian.

"Why, Misamuri-san! How nice of you to visit us here," greeted Shigure.

She eyed them both suspiciously, waving her bamboo switch in their faces. "I heard loud voices in this section."

"Oh, did you, Muri-chan?" asked Ayame, sounding surprised, as the aged librarian scowled at the name the snake called her. "I would swear we heard no noise here. Perhaps your hearing is deceiving you, hm?"

The librarian glared at them and held up a threatening finger. "If I hear another noise coming in from here, I'll throw you both in the deepest pit of hell and let you rot in there!"

"Of course, Muri-chan!" cried Ayame, standing up with fist raised. "I swear to you, no noise shall be heard again in your library! I shall inflict pain to the one who utters the slightest sound and give him the most exquisitely painful punishment that my glorious body could—"

"ENOUGH!" shrieked the librarian, swatting Ayame's head with her switch. "I don't want to hear any more noise, is that clear?" then, having the snake lying unconsciously on the table with many bumps, she strode away, muttering angrily about noisy people disturbing the quiet of her library.

Shigure peeked from his book and nudged the snake. "Aaya, if you want to be the death of her, you should do it in a quick way. Poor woman must suffer from stroke every time we visit here… Even I pity Mitchan at times…"

The snake leapt up, bandages in place of his bumps and looked cheerful despite his injuries. "Don't worry Gure-san, Muri-chan loves me so much that she simply can't resist on flirting with me whenever I come here," replied Ayame, dusting his flamboyant lime green outfit that matched his yellow eyes. He glanced at the book in Shigure's hands. "Have you found it, Gure-san?"

"Yep," answered Shgure, turning a few pages back and slapping his hand on a certain page. "Here it is."

Ayame rounded the table and sat beside the dog, peering at the book. "Terrific! This certainly answers our question."

Shigure nodded. "So male sea horses have pouches beneath their chest while the females don't, much like a woman's womb. Female sea horses produces the eggs and transfers them to the male for him to fertilize for about three to six weeks…" he paused and slid a finger through the page, his brown eyes scanning the words swiftly. "Ah, here it is. When the baby sea horses, _ponies_ actually, are developed inside, the father's pouch erupts and the ponies come swimming free."

"So, does that mean Tori-san has a pouch?" asked Ayame thoughtfully. "That's just strange. We've seen Tori-san naked many times before (though I'm sure he didn't know it and would probably kill us if he finds out), and we got the chance to caress him as we snuggled to him when he got too drunk during high school, but I couldn't remember feeling a pouch anywhere. And I did my... _explorations_ very well too."

Shigure leaned back on his seat, crossing his arms on his chest as he pouted, thinking deeply. "Such a pity I was too wasted that night to do my own explorations…" he sighed, glancing back at the book. "Well, I think it's just like what is said here, that it 'tapers gradually to the tail'. I think Haa-san has some kind of elastic pouch that was hidden from sight and touch, masquerading as skin unless it got filled from within…"

"I see," nodded Ayame, propping his elbow on the table and resting his chin on the palm of his hand. "And the female's eggs were the ones to fill it up and make it more pronounced, correct?"

"That's how it looks like."

Ayame nodded again absently, thinking deeply.

It has been a week and a half since the sea horse had told them he was keeping the baby, and ever since then, Ayame and Shigure has been asking Hatori questions that either earn them a hard smack on the head or three or four 'missed' shot of injection. The dog then suggested five days ago that they should look for their answers in the library. Only now had there been any progress of their research.

"I figured another question," said Shigure closing the book down and stacking it with the other volumes that they would be borrowing. "How exactly did Kana put her egg in Haa-san's pouch? She's not a sea horse to start of. And we know the normal process of human fertilization, of how the sperm travels in the woman's uterus to fertilize her egg… but how about in Haa-san's case? Would it be the same perhaps?"

Ayame sat up straighter, his yellow eyes widening. "Gure-san, that's a wonderful question! But how do we answer that?"

Shigure pouted again, placing his pen above his puckered lips, as he thought hard. After a while, he uncrossed his arms and imitated Ayame's previous position, frowning darkly. A minute later, he was slouched back on his seat. "I can't think of anything!" he wailed in despair, his pen clattering loudly on the table as it fell.

"All right, let's get organized," said Ayame briskly, tapping the table smartly. "What do we know about human fertilization?"

Shigure, surprised at his cousin's tone, answered slowly. "Well, as I've said, in human fertilization, the sperm travels in the woman's uterus to fertilize the egg within her…"

Nodding, Ayame said, "Yes, that's the case with humans. And in sea horses, it was Mommy that produces the egg and Daddy will fertilize it. The roles are in vice versa, correct? "

"Yes, that's right," confirmed Shigure.

"Well then, if in human fertilization it is the male who secretes bodily fluids and the female to receive them, perhaps it is the opposite in sea horse's case…"

Shigure's eyes grew wide. "Aaya… you're a genius!"

Ayame grinned brilliantly in response. "Of course I am, Gure-san! Such a glorious and wonderful genius I am!"

"Yes! That's it!" said Shigure excitedly, his eyes shining with glee. "So Kana produced the bodily fluid and—"

"Tori-san sucked it all in his pouch!" finished Ayame joyously. He then became teary-eyed and turned to his cousin who looked about to cry as well. "Gure-san, can you believe this? We've solved the mystery!"

"Aaya, I couldn't have done it with you," sobbed Shigure, sniffing dramatically on his sleeve. "Life would be so hopeless if you're not with me, Aaya!"

Ayame clutched at Shigure's shoulders and gazed deep into his eyes. "Fear not, Gure-san, for I will be by your side, here, now and forever!"

Shigure stifled another sniff. "Aaya…"

Then, their solemn faces broke into identical grins. "YES!"

As they both smiled at each other serenely, the silence in the library became more pronounced. The distant voice of the old librarian could be heard in the other end of the large room, reprimanding another noisy visitor.

"Ne, Aaya… How do you suppose Haa-san felt when he did the sucking?"

Ayame didn't answer and Shigure didn't ask again.

The peace in the library stretched. But within two perverted minds, well… it was a different story.

"Oh, my," said Ayame, a hand on his cheek, as he gazed unseeing on the shelf in front of their table.

"That's…" the dog's voice faded as he was also dazed.

Their eyes met briefly, and instinctively knew that they were both thinking of the same thing.

_Why didn't I become the sea horse?

* * *

_

**A/N:**

Well, this chapter's devoted to my own logical thinking on how Hatori's pregnancy is remotely possible, and that if there's any person out there who turns into a sea horse, this would be my explanation…

And with Gure and Aaya trying to figure it all out was quite amusing for me… (-,-)

_Edit:_

Corrected/edited/added several lines and grammar…Nothing major, just a few tweaks here and there... (-,-)

Please tell me if I missed anything.. Thanks! (-,-)v


	5. Chapter 5

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter V.**

* * *

Yuki stared glumly out of the window. It was raining heavily outside with thick black clouds hanging low in the sky and the thick sheets of rain made everything look dreary, making him more depressed than ever.

He coughed, a hand flying to cover his mouth while the other clutched at his constricting chest. After a while, his coughs subsided, and he breathed out in relief. He stared out again, feeling so sad.

The door opened but Yuki barely glanced at it, knowing who would it be. Instead, his purple eyes narrowed with displeasure and he doubled his concentration on the falling rain outside, determined to ignore his visitor as long as he could.

After a while, the door closed, and only then did Yuki peek on his shoulder if his visitor had gone. He swiftly turned his eyes back on the window, scowling at the same time.

How was he to know the adult hadn't left?

"You can't ignore me forever, Yuki."

"I don't want to see you," said the rat sullenly, pulling his knees closer to his chest and hugged it.

"Then close your eyes while I do my job. That way, you wouldn't see me."

Yuki's eye twitched. Was the man trying to make fun of him? But no, the tone of the adult's voice was dead serious… "Just leave me alone…"

"No," the doctor answered simply.

Yuki's patience was wearing thin, and it showed on the way his fist balled themselves and how he pulled his knees closer to his chest. "I'm fine, Hatori. You don't need to fuss over me."

But just then, a coughing fit assailed Yuki's frail body, making him double over with a hand covering his mouth. He shut his eyes, feeling more miserable than ever. Then, a hand stroked his back gently but firmly, easing his coughing slowly.

"I thought you said you're fine, Yuki," said the doctor, helping the rat lie back down on his bed. "Violent coughs, raging fever, breathing problems… You're as fine as I am a circus clown."

Yuki glared at the doctor. He doesn't particularly hate the sea horse, just his profession. He hated doctors… they were the ones who kept reminding him why he couldn't go outside like normal kids, the reason why his parents sold him off to the head of the family besides being the Zodiac's rat.

He seethed quietly while the doctor carried on with his usual procedures. Having no better thing to look at, he took his time in observing the silent doctor. Yuki was surprised to see him so stressed.

"Hatori," Yuki spoke hesitantly, uncomfortable that he had always shut the doctor out even when the sea horse was trying to help him. "I've noticed you're not feeling well the last time you came, two weeks ago... You still look sick."

Hatori looked up from his stethoscope to the thirteen year old rat. His piercing olive eyes were strangely listless. "Am I?"

"Yes…" he was reluctant to inquire more, seeing as the doctor was quite stressed enough already to be with him in the middle of the night. "You're not having enough rest… You're a doctor, you should know better than to overwork yourself."

The doctor didn't answer, but cursed under his breath, and just jotted down the recordings of Yuki's temperature. He retrieved his medical bag on the floor and took out several capsules.

"Now, Yuki, I want you to take light meals for sometime and take one these once every meal. This would help lessen your fever and your coughs. Don't go anywhere outside and keep your windows slightly closed. I'll be back tomorrow to see how you're doing."

The doctor then retuned his instruments back into his bag, as if eager to leave the room.

Yuki opened his mouth to protest, but closed it almost immediately, fearing the sea horse's suddenly irate mood. He supposed he was the only one to be blamed… He pulled his covers up to his nose and turned his back from the doctor.

"Hatori, I—I'm sorry," he muttered quietly.

Hatori paused and stared at the back of the youngster. "For what?"

"For… for making you mad," said Yuki quietly, hiding deeper into his blanket. He felt miserable that he can't talk to anyone without making them upset. Akito's words rang true once more… no one would like a disgusting rat like him...

"I'm not mad."

Yuki stiffened. He's not… mad at him? He felt the bed depress when the adult sat beside him. The rat looked up and saw the sea horse looking wistfully outside. "You're not?"

Hatori glanced at him; his piercing eyes warm despite their sharpness. "You're actually right, I'm not feeling well these days," he said, one of his hands clutched at his stomach almost unconsciously.

Yuki watched the adult carefully. There was something different with the young doctor this night, other than the lines of worry that increased on his face. Then he saw it!

Yuki was able to see what's troubling Hatori!

"Hatori, you don't need to feel bad about it," he said, trying to sit up, eager to help the doctor who had nothing but kind to him. The sea horse assisted him and propped a pillow on his back so he could lean on it. He stared curiously at the rat.

"I don't?"

"Yes," said Yuki with certainty. Really, if that's what's the doctor has been worrying about all these times, then he was worrying himself needlessly. "I'm sure there are others who stand worst than you."

A dark eyebrow rose in question. "There are? Hm… and I thought I'm the only one in this world to suffer this…" he said quietly, staring off again outside.

Yuki frowned. Wasn't the sea horse being overly dramatic about this?

"Of course not," scoffed Yuki. "There are many others who suffered the same thing, but there are many ways to eliminate it."

Now, the doctor had turned to face him fully, surprising Yuki. "What are you talking about?" demanded the doctor, his eyes turning hard. "And where did you learn of this? Did Shigure tell you something?"

Yuki was confused. Why was the doctor acting this way? And what does the dog of the Zodiac has got to do with this? He decided to answer truthfully.

"No, he didn't tell me anything. And I found about it in some books that I read to pass time," he replied while shrinking back on his bed, fearing the retribution the doctor might inflict on him.

The doctor seemed to notice his fear and drew backwards, allowing Yuki space, before sighing softly. "I'm sorry if I acted that way Yuki. I was just surprised that you have an idea about this. I thought very few people knew…"

Yuki nodded slowly. "But Hatori… aren't you being a bit exaggerated?" he asked, unable to help himself. "I mean, of course people knew it. There are thousands and thousands of people with the same problem, and they're hundred times worst than you…"

Hatori sighed heavily and gazed at him intently. "Yuki, what exactly are you talking about?"

Now, Yuki was uncomfortable.

"Uh, well… I thought…" his small voice trailed off in hesitation. But at the encouraging nod of the doctor, he continued slowly, almost mumbling to himself. "Well, I—I just thought that being… slightly, um, overweight is hardly a thing for you to worry about this much—"

"Wait, wait," interjected the doctor, with his palm raised. "What did you say?"

Yuki flushed. He was definitely not comfortable… "I—I said um… that your being overweight is hardly a—"

"Overweight?" frowned the doctor. "I'm not overweight…"

"Um," Yuki was blushing. How do you tell someone that they're starting to have a beer belly? "Well… you, um, gained weight…" he got out, pointing at the doctor's slightly protruding stomach, filling his loose vest. "So I thought…"

To the rat's utter surprise, the doctor had his hand over his mouth, while the other hand was signaling for him to stop. Then, he stood and swiftly left the room, shutting the door with a slight force. Yuki gazed curiously at the door, wondering where the doctor had gone. Then he heard it.

"NYAHAHAHA! WAKEKEKEKEKEK! AHAHAHAHA!"

Laughter. Loud, wild and hyena-like laughter.

Yuki's jaw dropped open in shock. Was that…? Could it really be?

The laughter died out and several minutes later, the doctor opened the room and sat on Yuki's bed again, stoic as ever. Only, Yuki could see that the lines on his face had decreased and there was a glint of a smile in the doctor's thin lips.

"Now, Yuki," he said, all professional, that left the rat feeling confused and mystified. Was it really this doctor who laughed that animal-like laughter a few moments ago?

"I want you to take plenty of citrus and take as much fruit juice as you can. Stay away from grapes and peaches, for we both now what happens when you eat them…" he said, shutting his medical bag and standing up. "I'll return tomorrow afternoon to see how you're doing."

"Uh, H-hatori!" called Yuki, stopping the doctor on his tracks.

"Yes?"

Dare Yuki ask if that was Hatori laughing like an injured animal moments ago?

Yuki smiled at the doctor. "I won't tell anyone."

The sea horse was expressionless for a few seconds. Then, a rare warm smile graced his face. "Thanks," he said quietly, before shutting the room.

Yuki lied back down and pulled his covers to his chest again with a smile, forgetting his earlier depression.

_Well, that was amusing…

* * *

_

**A/N:**

If you may have missed it in the dialogue above, in this chapter Hatori is now approaching the end of his first trimester.. His body structure is changing...

_Edit:_

Corrected/edited/added several lines and grammar…Nothing major, just a few tweaks here and there... (-,-)

Please tell me if I missed anything.. Thanks! (-,-)v


	6. Chapter 6

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter VI.**

* * *

Shigure paused by Akito's chambers, his keen hearing picking up the sounds from within. The head of the family seems to be talking to someone, a child, by the sound of the voice replying softly. A name spoken by the child made his ears perk up.

Yuki… Shigure's eyes narrowed slightly. Why was the rat talking to Akito about Hatori?

The dog knelt by the door and waited, as he was sure Akito will not entertain anyone when the young rat was with her. He strained his ears to hear more, but the words spoken were too soft for even him to pick up.

Thinking back, he remembered glimpsing the sea horse last night with his medical bag heading towards the Main House. Shigure guessed that he had been called yet again to check Yuki's frail health. Something must've happened during the visit to make the rat approach his 'god' willingly.

Yuki couldn't have found out about Hatori's predicament, could he?

But if he did, was he telling Akito about it right now?

Shigure's mind started to reel. He couldn't really guess what Akito's reaction may be when she heard of this news but the dog was certain it wasn't time for the head of the family to know about it. It was still too early, and the dangers of miscarriage were too near for comfort just yet. If Akito should know about this and hurt Hatori in a fit of anger, it wouldn't be good for both the sea horse and his child.

His fist clenching, Shigure decided he must do something.

He was just standing up, ready to barge in the chamber when the sliding door opened. Shigure found himself staring at the rooster's serene features. He kept his own expression passive, resisting the urge to glare at the rooster.

"Akito will see you now," said Kureno simply.

Shigure nodded, and the rooster stepped out, closing the door behind him. The dog stopped several feet away from the head's futon and kneeled. The rat was nowhere to be seen.

"Akito," he greeted, bowing his head to the floor. His mind was running fast. He must know what the rat told Akito. Only then could he help his friend out of trouble.

The head was slightly hidden in the shadows. The afternoon light outside peeked through the slightly open doors looking out to a garden fell short of Akito's feet. It was warm outside, but in the chambers of the head of the family, the light of the sun seemed cold.

"Shigure," said the silky voice. "How nice of you to visit me at last… I have missed you."

Shigure noticed that the head didn't tell him to get up, and so he didn't. "Akito, you know I'll come running if you call me… but it seems that you're not doing that lately."

The figure shifted and the light finally fell on the pale face of Akito, sneering at him. "Why should I bother to call a worthless mutt like you? Stupid, dirty and ugly dog…"

Shigure said nothing. He had heard those words so many times before that he became immune to their acidity. Inwardly, he knew Akito barely think of him as ugly, and that knowledge made him want to smile. But to smile with no apparent reason in front of Akito could be suicidal.

Akito stood and walked towards the garden, her kimono askew on her shoulders, and threw the doors open. A gust of cool breeze entered the chamber.

"Tell me, Shigure," the head of the family spoke, her back turned to him as she surveyed the garden. "How Hatori is doing now…"

Shigure stiffened and fought for control over his momentary panic. "Hatori is constantly fatigued. He's overworked most of the time," replied Shigure, settling for the half-truth. "He's been neglecting his own health to take care of his patients."

"I see…" said Akito. It was a while before she spoke again. "Get up, Shigure."

Shigure rose from his bowing position and sat properly on his calves.

"Dear Yuki has spoken to me on his behalf and asked if I could give Hatori a holiday…"

The dog's eyebrow rose in surprise. "That's nice of him," said Shigure, concealing his surprise well. He almost sighed in relief. It looks like the secret's safe for now.

Akito glanced at him through narrow eyes, "Of course. Such a kindhearted boy he is, Yuki…" she said, with a possessive tone. "My darling rat, my pet… how can I refuse him anything?"

"You will give Hatori a holiday?" asked Shigure, in his mind, he was jumping for joy. Pregnant or not, Hatori most definitely deserve a break…

"Certainly," answered Akito, watching a flock of birds fly overhead. "I will allow him a month or two to take a vacation in one of our summerhouses."

Shigure couldn't believe his ears. Two months? Akito must be in a really good mood these days to be that generous, especially with her possessive streak. Now, there must be a way to seal this generosity and make Akito hold true to her word…

"That's wonderful, Akito! I'm sure Yuki is pleased with your decision."

Akito chuckled quietly, "Yes, he is…" she said with a strange tone in her voice Shigure didn't like. It sounded horribly like sarcasm.

"But Akito, I don't think Hatori will do that."

The head glared at him, her violet eyes boring holes in his head. "What do you mean?"

Shigure knew he had to tread carefully, or else Akito would change her mind completely. "Well, Hatori would refuse such a luxury. We both know him well enough to know that he's a workaholic. He wouldn't leave his work for a vacation for his own benefit… So perhaps I should tell Yuki not to keep his hopes up… He will be certainly be disappointed if he found out too late Hatori refused his wish…"

His words prompted the desired effect. Akito strode towards him so fast she seemed like a blur and clutched his shirt tightly. "Hatori will not dare defy my word, unlike you worthless bit of trash!" she snarled.

Shigure smiled faintly at her. "You know Akito, you smell wonderful this afternoon, like lilacs in the wind," he said, changing the subject abruptly. "I think you're tuning me on…"

"Bastard!" The hard slap she gave him made his head snap on the opposite side. The impact was strong and his vision blurred for several seconds. When his eyes cleared, Akito disappeared in front of him. He cocked his head sideward and saw her striding out of the chambers, calling the rooster to her.

It gave the dog a pang for her to prefer Kureno but he let it pass for now. What was important was that he got what he wanted. He stood up and straightened his shirt and glanced at the gardens.

Sighing, he hoped Hatori would be up for the unexpected visit.

* * *

Hatori stepped in the shower, relishing the warmth of the cascading water in his face and body. The warm water soothed his nerves and relaxed his muscles, just as it always did after a long day. It refreshed him greatly, and he savored every moment of peace he could get. Of course, if you're a Sohma, especially a Sohma doctor, moments of peace were scarce.

He slid his hand on his stomach, feeling the slight bulge in it. He's not overly muscular, as the Sohma family's genes were more on the slender side, but he had always been trim and fit, swimming being his sport, for obvious reason.

Remembering Yuki's words the day before about him being overweight, the sea horse gave a slight smile. It was almost a wonder the young rat was able to see his weight gain, as it was almost imperceptible to everyone else as of yet. But then again, Yuki had always been an observant… to observe, never to participate; such was Yuki's life with Akito.

Feeling his 'pouch' (though it took him a great effort to submit calling his 'womb' that name but would rather use 'pouch' instead of 'womb') always gave Hatori a weird feeling… a mix of intense joy and inexplicable sadness.

In his logical mind, he knew he should've done what he first decided, to abort the pregnancy and relieve his life with further complications; turning into a sea horse was bad enough to begin with. But he felt otherwise. To have his hand stained with the blood such an innocent life (even if figuratively) was appalling to him.

Shigure was right when he said that doctors weren't meant to end lives. But what if they had no choice? If their patient was dying right in front of them slowly, bit by bit, wouldn't it be better if they hasten the process and relieve the patient further suffering? Such was Hatori's flow of thoughts.

Never was there an easy decision to make in his life. He had doubted, as only the dragon of the Zodiac could doubt, if he could ever have a happy life with the woman he loves; he followed his heart and here he was, suffering, shivering in the midst of a warm shower because of the coldness that settled within his being.

He had turned back into being winter the moment his spring literally fell on the floor. He never felt his tears when he watched her crumple in the ground like a wilted flower. His spring ended, and the eternal winter that he was took over again.

Hatori felt his stomach clench, the sensation was so sharp and sudden that he had brought a hand up on the wet tiled floor to keep himself steady. He glanced at his 'pouch' in surprise, for as sudden as the pain came, it was gone.

It was almost as if the fetus had called his attention…

Oh, of course… he smiled slightly and caressed his abdomen again.

His spring hadn't end after all… she had left a seed of hope for him. And it was starting to flourish they after day. Perhaps it was that knowledge of hope that made him change his first decision…

There was hope for him, and he was carrying it.

He took his towel rubbed his hair off the excess water. Tying the drenched towel around his waist, he stepped out of his bath feeling refreshed and energized.

Hatori was actually whistling a happy tune he heard from the rabbit as he strode to his bedroom and dressed in a simple blue yukata he requested Ayame to make a year ago. He was just sitting on his desk planning to finish his thick paper works when someone banged on his door loudly and repetitively.

Muttering a few choice curses, he stood up and went out of the room. As he made his way to the living room, he was planning a different strategy on strangling a certain dog and snake to death.

He opened the door, with a ready glare on his face. "What do you—?"

He froze, recognizing his visitor.

"Akito!"

* * *

**A/N:**

With regards to Hatori being a doctor at such a young age, well, I believe our sea horse was a super genius in med school so that terrified professors gave him his license early.

_Edit:_

Corrected/edited/added several lines and grammar…Nothing major, just a few tweaks here and there... (-,-)

Please tell me if I missed anything.. Thanks! (-,-)v


	7. Chapter 7

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter VII.**

* * *

Akito raised a hand in greeting. "Hatori… Perhaps you want to invite me in." 

Hatori snapped out of his shock and stepped aside.

"Of course, Akito," he said politely, allowing the head move past him and enter his house. The doctor glanced at the gates and found no one else. He guessed the rooster had gone some place else while his master did her business. Hatori shut the door and followed the head inside.

Akito was looking around his living room with a relaxed air. For Hatori, however, his spacious living room had suddenly become small with the head's overwhelming presence.

"You have a nice place here, Hatori," said the head spoke, almost lazily.

Hatori gestured at his blue sofa. "Make yourself comfortable, Akito. Would you like to have some tea?"

Akito sat in the sofa, tucking her long robes beside her and gazing serenely at the sea horse. "Don't bother. I'm not in the mood for tea."

"Of course," answered Hatori, sitting opposite of the head. The sea horse felt the perspiration running in is back, making the cloth of his yukata cling to his skin uncomfortably. To say that he was nervous was an understatement.

He cleared his throat slightly and turned his eyes on the head of the family. "May I ask what brought you to visit my humble home, Akito?"

The young female laughed, the sound was so cold it made Hatori suppress the shiver that rippled on his back. "Yes… humble is the right word, Hatori. For the mighty and proud dragon of the Zodiac, this… _sty_ is humble," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Hatori said nothing. What had brought the head of the family in his house? She couldn't have found out his pregnancy yet, could she? Akito was younger than him by almost seven years, and yet, the young woman was able to intimidate him like no one else could…

The horrifying memory of him asking for permission to marry Kana flashed vividly in his eyes, making him shudder in spite of himself.

Akito turned her violet eyes on him, regarding him intently. "So they are correct. You look like you need a long vacation…" she said abruptly, startling the sea horse.

They? Who would be concerned with him enough to tell the head of the family of his condition? Hatori shook his head decisively. "I don't need a vacation, Akito. I have many patients to take care of, you yourself included. I can't just leave and—"

"So it's true!" spat Akito angrily, her face contorting in rage. "You _will_ defy me!"

Hatori paled. "Akito, you know I wouldn't do that."

"And yet you object my word," stated Akito coldly, her hand balling themselves into fists.

"I have no intention to object you. I am simply making you see that my job here in the Estate is my primary concern," said Hatori carefully. He didn't know why the head of the family wanted him to take a vacation, and it felt wrong. Very wrong.

Since when did Akito give concern for the well being of her Juunishi? She had never bothered for the rest of the cursed members of the Zodiac, except for the rat. The rat…

The sea horse frowned. Did Yuki spoke to Akito about his health? The young rat must've been concerned for him and spoke to the head… but for Yuki to do that willingly…

Hatori suddenly felt afraid for the youngster. What price did he pay for this request?

Akito scoffed. "Your primary concern, Hatori, is to obey my orders."

"Akito," said Hatori, his voice shaking slightly. He inwardly cursed the burning sensation in the corners of his eyes. He couldn't afford to break down in front of his 'god'. "Why are you sending me away? You know I wouldn't trust yours and Yuki's health to anyone else."

"You had my precious rat all worried for your sake, and you will show him gratefulness by accepting his gift I am generous enough to give," replied Akito, fingering a glass figurine of a dragon in the center table. Her violet eyes rose to his, demanding him to yield. "Is that understood, Hatori?"

Hatori gripped the cloth of his yukata, his hands perspiring from the effort. What was Akito making him agree into? But he knew there was no refusing the head of the family…

"Yes… Akito," he finally conceded, his voice sounding raw from the emotion he was holding back. His stomach suddenly clenched painfully, and his hand automatically went up to his mouth, trying to stop the gagging.

_No! Not in front of Akito!_

He shut his eyes tightly as he doubled over in pain as the spasms increased.

The head of the family gazed appraisingly at his quavering form. There was a slight frown on her forehead, yet her expression was icy.

"You had better not throw up on me, Hatori, or else I swear you'll regret it," she said disgustedly.

Hatori gave a slight nod before dashing to his bathroom and threw up everything he had eaten the whole day. It lasted for about five minutes, but for the sea horse, it seemed like a lifetime.

He turned the faucet on full blast and leaned his most of his weight on the sink, as his knees wobbled weakly beneath him. He splashed his face several times and breathed deeply. He knew that the head had been observing him suspiciously ever since she had arrived, and surely, his emotional state and his nausea would add to her suspicions… What would Akito think now?

Hatori buried his face on a towel hastily and went outside as soon as his knees stopped wobbling. It was never good to keep Akito from waiting.

"Akito," said Hatori apologetically the moment he reached the living room. The head looked up from the book she got out from one on his shelves. "Forgive me for my abrupt exit. I hope you didn't wait too long…"

"It's quite fine," she replied nonchalantly, letting the book fall unceremoniously from her hands and went back to the couch, her violet eyes taking in his disheveled form. "This is the first time you did something so repulsive in my presence, Hatori. Do not let it happen again."

"Of course…" said Hatori quietly.

"Good," the head said lazily. She directed her gaze at the calendar hanging in the opposite wall. "You will leave right after the Banquet, and you are not to return here in the Estate until I call for you."

Hatori nodded silently.

The sea horse followed her as she walked towards the door feeling awful. Akito's appraising looks held too much suspicion on them. The doctor couldn't help but feel that the head of the family knew something that she shouldn't, but was biding her time to speak out.

Akito paused by the door and turned her head slightly to the doctor behind her. "Hatori."

"Yes, Akito?"

A shadow of a spiteful smile crossed her features, making Hatori's blood run cold. "Take good care of the filth… I have many plans for it…"

"Filth?" asked Hatori, paling suddenly. His hand shot out and grabbed Akito's arm, stopping the head on her tracks. "Akito! What do you mean?" he asked, his heart thumping hard and fast against his chest.

Akito gazed at him in obvious disgust and anger. "You sicken me, _sea horse_," she snarled, wrenching her arm from his hand. "Imagine, a man getting pregnant and all, carrying such a repulsive filth iside you... You're as disgusting as that monstrosity of a cat! I don't want such a sickening freak anywhere near me!"

Hatori was struck dumb. "You knew? All along you knew..."

Akito sneered. "Of course I knew. Did you think I'm stupid or blind? I swear, Hatori, I thought you're more intelligent than that," Akito paused, and her violet eyes narrowed dangerously before adding softly. "Or are you perhaps mocking me?"

"N-no," replied Hatori, his voice breaking. Unconsciously, he took a step backwards in nervousness.

Akito's face visibly softened, and her hand rose to caress the pale face of the sea horse. "Now, now Hatori… you have no reason to fear. I will not punish you for having a disgusting filth inside of you. I will not even punish you for keeping it from me intentionally… Everything was that dirty woman's fault after all..."

Hatori swallowed tightly. He could feel the head's slender hand caressing his cheek gently. Akito leaned closer to him and wrapped both of her thin arms around his neck, making him stiffen in response.

"I will let you bear the filth, Hatori," she whispered, her cold breath fanning his neck. "But you must agree to whatever I ask of you after you give birth to that filth of that worthless bitch…"

Hatori stood unmoving within her arms. "And if I don't?"

The defiance in his voice surprised them both. Hatori stiffened, and unseen to him, Akito's eyes flashed with rage.

"If you don't…" she whispered apathetically, her long and uneven fingernails digging hard the back of his neck as she slid them downwards, drawing trickles of blood, and making the sea horse gasp in the sudden pain. "You'd better kill the filth yourself..."

Then, the head released him and strode out of the gates without looking back at him. As the door shut behind her, Hatori staggered to a nearby wall, clutching the bleeding scratches at the back of his neck.

"Damn…" he muttered as he hurried to his room and grabbed his medical bag. He stripped the yukata down to his waist, as the cloth was starting to seep the blood in. He took out the bandages and ointment, but his hands were shaking too hard for him to concentrate in dressing his wound properly.

"Damn it!" he growled shoving the whole bag aside, losing his patience completely. Then, his well-kept self-control finally snapped. The tears broke free from his eyes and they fell unhindered on his cheeks. "Shit, shit, shit!" he shouted in frustration, burying his face on his bloody palms.

"Hatori? Hatori! Hatori! Where are you?"

The sea horse glanced up at the sound of the voice. A second later, a worried-looking Shigure burst into the room. Wordlessly, he took in the mess Hatori made and the bleeding wound at his friend's back.

"Oh god… no…" he groaned helplessly as he hurried by the sea horse's side. "H-Hatori. I-I'm so sorry…"

Hatori smiled vaguely, trying to wipe both tears and blood from his face using the back of his hand. "That's okay. I know why you did that…"

Shigure shook his head forcefully, but kept his lips shut. He worked on the wound on his friend's back silently. The dog was never good in doing First Aid, but Hatori was quietly touched by the effort Shigure put in dressing his wound as properly as he could.

"I know what you're doing, Shigure. Stop it."

Shigure still said nothing, focusing on his task intently. Hatori could feel his hands shaking as the dog applied the antiseptic on the scratches. The sea horse let him finish dressing up his wounds before he turned to face the dog completely.

"Shigure, it's not your fault," he said, forcing the novelist to meet his eyes.

The dog glared back at him. "It is, Hatori," he said quietly. "Don't force me into believing otherwise."

The sea horse sighed. Once the dog blamed himself for something, there was no convincing him differently. Better let him stew on his own guilt until he gets over it on his own. "How did you know she left?" he asked, changing the topic abruptly.

Shigure sighed and sat cross-legged on the floor beside Hatori. "Kureno told me that you might need help…" he answered, wiping his hands on his black pants. The dog sighed again and dug on his pockets. Retrieving a packet of cigarettes, he got out a stick and placed it on his lips. He shook his head when the sea horse gestured for one. "You heard Aaya last time. Smoking is bad for your health and the—"

"Just this once. I'll never touch one again within seven months…"

"Fine."

They were both quiet as they smoked, letting the nicotine lift their somber moods. Evening had settled in and yet, both the doctor and the novelist hadn't bothered to open any lights. Shadows filled the room and the only light there was were the burning tips of their cigarette sticks.

Hatori sighed and stood up, crushing the remains of the cigarette on the ashtray by his table. He went to nudge the dog. "Shigure. You should go home now…"

Shigure had his head bowed. The dog must've fallen asleep. But why were his shoulders heaving?

"Shigure?" frowning, Hatori crouched in front of the dog and forced his face upwards. He gasped softly.

"Ahehe," chuckled Shigure weakly, sniffing uncontrollably at the same time. He pulled himself up to sit straighter while wiping his tear-streaked face with his fist. "Aa, the smoke got into my eyes. Stupid smoke! Making me cry…"

"Idiot," muttered Hatori, smiling slightly, touched by the dog's unexpected emotional display. He stood up and extended his hand to the dog. "C'mon, Shigure. Let's get something to eat."

Shigure returned the grin and took Hatori's hand. "Just order out, Haa-san… It would take a year's course in home cooking lessons before I can trust something edible out of your stove…"

Hatori grunted. "Fine. But you're paying..."

* * *

**A/N:**

Scenes with Akito in it aren't supposed to be funny... well, at least for me. So I hope you guys aren't disappointed with this chapter...

_Edit:_

Corrected/edited/added several lines and grammar…Nothing major, just a few tweaks here and there... (-,-)

Please tell me if I missed anything.. Thanks! (-,-)v


	8. Chapter 8

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter VIII.**

* * *

The snake's large yellow eyes scanned the room carefully, pausing now and then on dark-haired males or some tall, slender guys.

Finally, Ayame's eyes found what they had been looking for. A wide grin crossed his face and he began to stride towards the entrance of the Banquet hall.

"GURE-SAN! TORI-SAN!" he called loudly waving his arms enthusiastically, his booming voice cutting through the sounds of music and chatter in the hall.

Many pairs of eyes immediately to him in surprise and shock, and his grin grew even wider loving the attention he was getting. He ran the rest of the way, his magenta-colored robes with gold linings flying behind him with his silver tresses.

They were dressed regally, the novelist wearing his ceremonial robes while the doctor in an elegant black yukata, even with the tailor's critical eye, though it was Ayame's belief they would be dressed to perfection if his friends had worn one of his creations instead.

"Good evening, my dearest friends. The wonderful Ayame Sohma has returned!" Ayame said the moment he reached them, touching two of his fingers in his temple in mock salute. "Surely you did not miss me too much?"

"Aaya, every moment seems like an eternity without you," answered Shigure, grinning.

"Gure-san, how it melts my heart for me to hear your sweet words!"

"I will never tire of uttering them to you, Aaya!"

"YES!" they both cried together with thumbs up.

"You idiots never get tired of that disgusting conversation, do you?" asked Hatori leaning his back on the wall while his visible eye was observing them disdainfully.

"SHII-CHAN!"

The three friends turned to see the flushed face of the fourteen-year-old boar dashing through the crowd towards them. Shigure inched behind the sea horse nervously. Hatori shook his head and pushed the dog forward, making the boar slam right to him.

"Shii-chan! I've been looking for you all night! Where have you been?" demanded the young boar, shaking the knocked-out dog viciously.

She stood and straightened her ceremonial robes and turned sheepishly at the sea horse and the snake. "Oh, hi, Hari, Aya-san. I just went to get Shii-chan to have a last minute practice with him. Can I borrow him for a while?"

"Of course," replied Hatori, nudging the unconscious form of the dog with his foot. "He's all yours, Kagura."

"Good luck on your dance later, Kagura-chan," chirped the snake winking at her, making her beam in pleasure. Ayame glanced at the dog who groaned as he pulled himself up. "And you too, Gure-san! Remember the steps I told you last week!"

Shigure chuckled, "Now, Aaya, that dance is only for the two of us, when we're alone. There will be many kids in the Banquet later you know…"

Kagura grabbed his arm and started to drag the helpless dog. "Come on, Shii-chan. Our dance must be perfect! We need more practice!"

"But, Kagura-chan," Shigure wailed as he was dragged away. "We've been practicing since last month!"

"Stop whining!" said Kagura cheerfully, but Shigure gulped at the gleam of her eyes. He instead turned to the snake and the sea horse with cascading tears.

"See you after the Banquet, Haa-san, Aaya!"

"Bye Gure-san!" cried Ayame, waving.

Hatori glanced at the snake. "We'd better get in the Banquet hall too, Ayame," he glanced at the people that kept on arriving. "It will be impossible to get in later without having… accidents."

Ayame nodded, but turned his eyes to the exhausted–looking doctor. "Tori-san, are you not feeling well?" he questioned, worry gracing the yellow orbs.

Hatori shook his head and smiled wryly. "I'm fine…"

"You look pale," commented the snake, still wondering why the normally composed doctor was fidgeting uncomfortably in his robes. "Is it the…?"

The sea horse glanced sharply at him, but nodded hesitantly.

They entered the Banquet hall, and immediately, Ayame's eyes found themselves staring on the far side of the hall, where the 'god' of the Zodiac sat. But it was not the head of the family he was staring at. His yellow eyes softened.

A hand dropped on his shoulder, and turning, he saw Hatori giving him a look of understanding.

"Just a few more years, Ayame... I know you want to be close to him, but you need to be patient."

Ayame nodded and tore his eyes away from the face of his little brother, feeling strangely helpless, unable to do anything to relieve the young rat of his constant loneliness. He moved on further in to the hall, following the sea horse.

Being the dragon and the snake of the Zodiac respectively, Hatori and Ayame's seats were beside each other. They found their places and sat on the plush mattresses, waiting for the ceremonial dance to start.

When the clock chimed midnight, the Banquet officially began.

As the past year had been the Year of the Dog, Shigure appeared to dance his piece first. He made no flaw, as his smooth, flowing movements clearly denoted a dog running wild and free in tune with the wintry air of the music. In the midst of the piece, the dog paused and Kagura appeared, signifying the change of the year to the Year of the Boar. They danced together for a while, limbs flowing and mingling in a graceful pattern, until the dog left the boar to finish the dance by herself.

Shigure crawled towards Hatori and Ayame, his face drenched in sweat but looked proud of himself despite his tiredness. "How did I do?" he whispered, plopping down between his friends.

"You were absolutely amazing, Gure-san!" whispered Ayame back, thrilled.

"You were absolutely terrible," replied Hatori bluntly. "You were obviously counting your steps. It ruined the whole performance."

"Aww, Haa-san is so mean," wailed Shigure, his brown eyes filling up with fake tears. "How could you say such hurtful words to poor, poor me?"

Ayame observed his friends carefully. It seemed that the dog and the sea horse was nervous for some reason. They act pretty much normally, but the snake had known them far too long to not to notice the subtle difference.

He was about to ask, but just then, the boar's music ended and Shigure scrambled hastily back in his place on the other side of the hall, just as silence fell inside the room. Akito had stood up, eyeing her Juunishi intently with a welcoming smile on her face.

Ayame decided to wait after the Banquet to ask his question as the head began to speak.

The festivities had begun right after the head of the family gave her word. Music had filled the large hall and delicious-smelling foods were served in large ceramic plates.

The members of the Zodiac and their immediate family were present in the hall, except for the families of the rabbit and the older members of the Juunishi.

Shigure found himself surrounded by family members congratulating him for his wonderful dance and praising his new novel. He had tried hard to avoid them, searching for the sea horse and the snake at the same time, but he just couldn't found the opportunity.

A loud crash, followed by startled cries and screams of "AHH! I'M SO SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO LET YOU DROP YOUR PLATE!" caught everyone's attention and amusement. Shigure used the diversion to slip unnoticed from the crowd and stared swiftly around.

"Gure-san?"

Shigure paused, glancing at the frowning snake beside him. "Aaya, Haa-san. Where is he?" he asked, still searching.

Ayame's frown deepened. "Kureno-san asked if he could talk to Tori-san for a while so I left them by the doors."

"Kureno?" echoed Shigure, his heart dropping. It would seem that Akito would literally send the sea horse away 'right after the Banquet'. "Aaya! We need to find them now!"

The snake was about to ask but Shigure had grabbed his arm and pulled him through the crowd, very nearly transforming with the way the dog pushed their way to the doors. Both of them stopped when they reached the door.

Neither the sea horse nor the rooster was there.

Ayame gazed at the dog. "What is happening, Gure-san?"

"Akito," replied the dog, unable to meet the snake's eyes. "He's sending Haa-san away…"

"What?" cried the snake, grabbing Shigure's shoulders. "And you're telling me this only now?"

Shigure didn't answer, but the troubled look in his eyes grew. "We're about to tell you earlier, as you've been gone last week," the dog said slowly. "But we never had the chance…"

"Where is she sending Hatori?" asked Ayame, his voice strangely taut.

"We don't really know…"

For several long seconds, Ayame didn't move nor speak. Then, to the utter surprise of the dog, the snake suddenly burst out of the doors and ran towards the sea horse's house, his robes and long hair flying behind him.

"Ayame!" Shigure shouted. He was hesitating, as Akito forbids anyone of the Zodiac leaving the Banquet hall in the midst of the celebration, when he heard a sneer of derision behind him. Turning quickly, his eyes grew wide. "Akito!"

The head of the family was gazing at the receding form of the snake with an amused expression. "Go, Shigure," she said dismissively. "I don't really care what you do with your miserable lives…"

"Akito…" his voice trailed. But he nodded and was about to dash after the snake when the head spoke again.

"Just… make sure the filth will live…"

Shigure stared at her. The head of the family smirked at him before she turned away, heading back to the Banquet hall, leaving the dog wondering what the 'god' of the Zodiac was planning for Hatori's child.

* * *

"Hatori! HATORI!"

Hatori glanced backwards and saw the snake running towards him. He frowned. "Ayame, what are you doing here?"

The snake skidded to a stop before him wearing an angry look. It surprised the doctor very much, knowing that the snake very seldom gets upset over something. Ayame took in the suitcases standing beside the sea horse and scowled, "Where are you going?"

Hatori sighed, remembering he and Shigure had not spoken about Akito's orders to the snake. "I'm going to take a vacation," he answered calmly. "I'll be back after several months."

"You're a horrible liar, Hatori."

The sea horse looked up from the snake's venomous tone, surprised.

Ayame took a deep breath. "I know Akito ordered you out, Hatori. I quite understand if you and Shigure wouldn't share your secrets with me. It hurts yes, but I guess you really can't trust a snake…" he said wryly. Hatori opened his mouth to interrupt, but Ayame shook his head.

"Don't bother. Everyone knows the snake was the eternal traitor, the symbol of betrayal… But Hatori, I care a lot for you and Shigure," the snake's eyes misted. "I truly do. Don't shut me out of your lives…"

Hatori, finding no words fit to comfort the snake, just clasped his hand on the snake's shoulder. The sea horse wished that his simple gesture would tell the snake how much he valued their friendship, and the snake willingly took the comforting gesture in silence.

The sound of hurrying footsteps made both the doctor and the tailor look up.

Shigure stopped in front of them, glancing at his best friends, noticing the somber mood. The dog could vaguely guess what the snake told the sea horse.

"Can I join the group hug?" he asked, after a while. "I feel so left out…"

That did the trick. Ayame sniffed and suddenly, threw his arms over both the startled sea horse and the amused dog. "Oh, Tori-san! Gure-san! We must renew our friendship with each other! The spirit of the Mabudachi Trio must live on!"

Shigure gave a bark of laughter. "Ne, Aaya, we must! How about snuggling together tonight under a warm blanket, hmm? It's nice and toasty especially in this cold night..."

"Sure," said Hatori darkly. "Just leave me out of it."

"Did you hear that Gure-san? Tori-san agreed!"

"Aaya, do you think Haa-san's starting to fantasize about us at night?"

"I do believe it's possible, Gure-san."

"I do believe that the two of you are idiots," said Hatori, finally freeing himself from the dog's and the snake's grasps. He straightened his coat and sighed, looking up on the dark sky. "I still have to find a place to stay… I just realized that I can't stay in the summerhouses… it's too cold there at this time of the year."

Ayame gasped. "Akito didn't give you a place to stay? But where can you stay—I know!" cried the snake suddenly. "You can stay at my place, Tori-san! My pad is just above my newly-opened dress shop—"

"I will never go any where near your shop if I could help it, Ayame."

Ayame pouted while Hatori sighed. This was going to be a long night…

Shigure then snapped his fingers, beaming. "I know just the right place, Haa-san!"

Both the snake and the sea horse turned to him in surprise.

"Where is this place?" asked Hatori, wishing the dog's suggestion was far better than the snake's.

The dog grinned and said merrily, "I'll take you there now!"

* * *

**A/N:**

I really had no idea on how and where they actually celebrate New Year. What I do know is that the two Zodiac members dance together so I made Kagura and Shigure dance together. I counted backwards from the anime's timeline where it was Momiji's turn to dance and supposed it was Kagura's here… I do hope my very short version of the Banquet is believable...

About the Ayame-Yuki relationship, well, I just don't think that our adorable snake would be as heartless as to ignore Yuki's existence. I rather believe that Ayame was just forced to stay away from his little brother upon the orders of a certain someone we all probably knew... (This is my own belief... I'm not forcing anyone to agree with me or anything)

_Edit:_

Corrected/edited/added several lines and grammar…Nothing major, just a few tweaks here and there... (-,-)

Please tell me if I missed anything.. Thanks! (-,-)v


	9. Chapter 9

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter IX.**

* * *

"Are you certain there's a house around here, Shigure? We've reached the end of the road sometime ago and we're still going uphill."

"Of course, Haa-san. I've been here four times already. Or… was it thrice? Hmm… twice? I really can't remember."

"Shigure."

"Ah, yes! Thrice! I've been here thrice. Just follow the dirt road and we'll reach it soon enough."

"Oooh! This is so exciting! The Mabudachi Trio is driving through a rough and dangerous terrain, facing many dangers along the way and managed to escape unscathed from all difficulties towards the land of the unknown!"

"Eh, Aaya, the police officer fainted, so he wasn't able to ticket us. I guess he was not overly, uh, familiar with such terms you used back there…"

"Ayame, next time never, I repeat, NEVER try to seduce men over fifty. They are more susceptible to heart attack and stroke than most people."

"Tori-san! I didn't seduce the man! He was staring at me with such passion in his eyes that I simply cannot refuse what he was asking for."

"…"

"Eh, he was asking for your driver's license, Aaya."

A pause. "Well, I gave him the pleasure of getting something better than that, didn't I?"

"…"

"Uh… Aa! Look, we're near!"

Hatori glanced up at the windshield and saw a silhouette of a simple two-story house some distance away. Soon, Ayame pulled over some yards away from the house itself and got out of the car, followed by Hatori and Shigure, both slightly dizzy and nauseous from the terrifyingly fast pace of the ride with the snake behind the wheel.

Shigure led the way to the door and dug into his coat pocket for the key.

"I bought this house from a cousin's uncle just last month. I had it renovated and touched up with some things I liked. There's only a few furniture inside, as I was not expecting I'll stay here anytime soon, but I can have the rest of the works by tomorrow afternoon if you like," he smiled as he slid the door open and ushered the snake and the sea horse inside.

"You brought a house?" asked Ayame, a small frown crossing his forehead. "Gure-san, you're not allowed to leave the Estate yet, are you?"

Shrugging, Shigure flicked on the switch and light immediately flooded the front porch. "I'll be out of there soon enough," he said dismissively, making Hatori and Ayame exchange a glance.

Shigure led them to a fairly large room having no furniture except for a long couch and a small table in the middle. "We're going to sleep here in the living room for a while. The rooms upstairs are much colder at this time, and quite dusty too, I must say."

"Gure-san," said Ayame, smiling appreciatively as he looked around. "This is a nice place! But the colorings are too dull. You should paint the walls with all the colors possible!"

"Yes, this place is certainly you, Shigure." Hatori was also looking around quite interestedly. "Don't you have any heaters around here?" he questioned, dropping his suitcase on the couch. "It's almost freezing."

"Nope," answered Shigure cheerfully, taking the baggage of food they had brought along before going towards the kitchen on their right. "It broke down the last time I came, and I wasn't able to have it fixed yet."

"Oh!" the snake cried suddenly. "That would mean we could do the suggestion you made earlier, Gure-san!"

Shigure poked his head out of the kitchen and glanced confusedly at Ayame. "Suggestion?"

"You know, snuggling under a warm blanket… feeling warm and toasty in the cold, cold night…?"

Shigure's face cracked into a grin. "Ahh, yes. That suggestion… That would be nice, and also necessary. We would need as much heat as we can in this kind of weather…"

"Oh Gure-san! Let me give you the warmth you seek!" cried the snake emotionally. Then, winking seductively, he added, "Don't worry I'll let you sleep afterwards…"

"It doesn't matter if you keep me awake the whole night, Aaya…"

"YES!" they both said, with thumbs up.

Hatori rolled his eyes upwards. "I'll rather stay in the cold, dusty rooms…"

"Oh, but Tori-san, you can't!" said the snake admonishingly with his hands on his hips.

"Yeah, Haa-san, we won't let you. Why don't you join us here instead and let's keep each other warm, hm?" teased Shigure.

"Don't you dare invite me in such a thing, Shigure," said Hatori, glaring at the dog before sitting tiredly on the couch. "Just give me the spare blanket and I'll go upstairs."

He still gets tired easily and throws up every once in a while, but it was lesser than it had been before. It would be the end of his first trimester soon, and by that time he knew the pains would leave him alone. Taking comfort from that small consolation, he let his back sink in the soft couch and closed his eyes.

"Eh… Haa-san?"

"What?"

"We don't have any spare blankets."

The sea horse's visible eye flicked open. "We don't?"

The dog nodded. "I think that's the luggage I left back at the Estate… but I'm not really sure! That might be some random things I packed," he added hastily, seeing the sea horse sitting up and burying his face on his hands in apparent frustration.

"You left that bag deliberately, didn't you?" said the murderous voice of the doctor.

"E-eh…" gulped Shigure nervously.

Ayame glanced from the dark clouds forming around the doctor's head and the many sweat drops in the novelist's unusually pale face.

The snake smiled happily and announced, "I'll go make some tea!" before retreating to the kitchen in a hurry.

* * *

Hatori tried to sleep, but however tired he felt, sleep wouldn't come to him. Cursing for the hundredth time during the last hour, he shifted his position and lied flat on his back, pulling the blanket closer to his body and staring at the smooth, paneled ceiling of Shigure's living room in utter boredom. 

A tug on the blanket to his right and a slight movement on his left made him groan.

Yes. He was in the center of the living room floor, lying in between the snake and the dog in the three futons they shoved together to make a large makeshift bed. Hatori tried to remember how he had lost the argument, but then again, seldom do Shigure and Ayame pay any attention to his more logical reasoning if it challenges their 'natural instincts'.

Shigure suddenly turned to his side, his back facing Hatori and murmured something sounding suspiciously like 'high school girls… all mine…' The sea horse resisted the urge to put a depressant drug in the dog's mouth. Even in his dreams, the idiotic dog was being perverted.

_POOF!_

Hatori sat up, immediately turning to his left, where as expected, laid a white snake coiled tightly into a ball amidst a pile of silk robes. Apparently, the blanket wasn't enough to sustain the snake's need for warmth in the coldness of the night.

He took the snake in his arms and stuffed him within his thick wool coat, as the three of them agreed to wear their thickest clothes to lessen the cold.

"Tori-san?" mumbled the snake sleepily.

"Go back to sleep, Ayame."

"Thanks…" and the snake drifted off to sleep once more.

Eventually, sleep caught up with the exhausted sea horse and he willingly succumbed into it.

* * *

"Here's the plan, Haa-san," said Shigure, his elbow propped on the table and his chin resting on his hand. "Aaya and I can stay with you at the evenings—" 

"To keep you nice and warm," put in Ayame, stirring his cup of tea.

"—As we also have our own works. Speaking of works, I don't think you should go to the hospital anymore. You're quite an important member of the staff that they'll let you easily off if you extend your sick leave for several more months."

"No. I need to go back while I still can. We would need money soon, and I can only get that by working," said Hatori calmly, fixing his tie expertly. "I refuse to use the allowance given by the Main House, or your own money. If the staff ever noticed, I can tell them I'm only gaining weight, and they won't see the difference."

It was breakfast and the three cousins sat in the rectangular table with bowls of cereal in front of them, too lazy to do any cooking, which the three of them hardly ever does. The morning light shone merrily through the open windows of the kitchen.

Ayame leaned back on his seat and crossed his legs. "Hospital people are only too busy to notice, anyway, though in your case Tori-san, it's quite different," he sad, a lazy smile crossing his features. "You're a Mabudachi, Tori-san. That means you have some dozen of females watching your every move… I'm quite sure that by now, your office would be filled by hundreds of love notes asking where have you been the last few weeks."

"I can handle them well enough," replied Hatori, draining his cup of coffee before standing up. He glanced at his watch and turned to his cousins. "I must be leaving soon. Shigure, I expect the heater fixed by the time I get home, is that understood?"

"Ahaha, of course, Haa-san!" chuckled Shigure nervously, remembering the ominous threat of 'losing one of his main bodily functions' the night before.

"And Ayame, please bring some thicker clothes with you later, and more blankets. You'll catch cold wearing nothing more than a silk kimono at this time of the year."

"Ooh! Tori-san is worried for my health! I do believe Tori-san's finally acknowledging my love, Gure-san!"

The doctor's eye twitched. "I'll be going now."

"Haa-san! Don't forget to ask that nurse's phone number, alright?" sang the novelist as he and Ayame followed the doctor out of the house.

The doctor ignored him and went to open the car door. "Ayame, you'll be passing by the Estate later, aren't you? Do you mind picking up some things I left at my house? I made a list in the living room."

"Not at all, Tori-san!" cried the snake. "Anything to deepen our friendship with each other!"

Hatori sighed exasperatedly and got on the car. The snake and the dog began to wave and shout their ridiculous goodbyes at him as he drove away. He deliberately stepped on the accelerator as their words became more and more perverted. Only after their voices faded did the sea horse sigh in relief.

Shigure let his arm drop to his side and turned to grin at Ayame. "Ne Aaya, do you think we should start our plan soon?"

"We certainly should," answered Ayame, nodding. His yellow eyes glinted. "The countdown begins tonight, Gure-san…"

**

* * *

**

**A/N:**

_Edit:_

Corrected/edited/added several lines and grammar…Nothing major, just a few tweaks here and there... (-,-)

Please tell me if I missed anything.. Thanks! (-,-)v


	10. Chapter 10

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter X.**

* * *

The tension was high in Shigure's new house. Sweat was running down the back of Ayame as he watched helplessly as Hatori labored on with obvious difficulty. The tailor was panicking, unable to decide what to do. Shigure was currently escaping the wrath of his editor so Ayame was left to his own devices, alone with the pregnant Hatori. However, the tailor did not expect to see what he is seeing right now.

The doctor groaned in frustration, making the snake jump in surprise.

Ayame looked over the reddened face of Hatori worriedly. "T-tori-san, are you sure it's—?"

"Of course I am," snapped Hatori, thin sheet of perspiration covering his face. His hands were clenched tightly as he tired to calm his jangling nerves. "It's coming out any minute now…"

"O-oh," gasped Ayame, covering his mouth. "Maybe I'd better call a—I mean—"

Hatori shook his head resolutely. "No. There's no need for that. I can manage right here…"

"Oh but—"

"I said NO, Ayame. Now get me a glass of water."

The snake complied, and let the exhausted-looking doctor a sip of water. "Tori-san, I think you should push it now."

Hatori glanced at him doubtfully for a few seconds before shaking his head again. "No. It's not yet time."

"Tori-san, we can't wait anymore!" cried the snake agitatedly. "You need to push it NOW!"

Hatori drew in another deep breath, the feeling of his stomach churning intensified with every passing minute. He wiped his forehead with the back of his wrist and nodded at Ayame. "All right. Here it goes…"

* * *

Shigure whistled a merry tune as he trudged along the dirt road leading to his secluded house, with a bag of grocery in his arms. He felt good after enjoying a game of hide-and-seek with his editor and receiving yet another death threat from her. The novelist looked up in the sky and took in a deep breath, inhaling the fresh woodland air that surrounds his new house.

"I'm home!" he called out upon reaching the foyer, where he removed his shoes. He frowned when no one answered. Usually, the snake would literally fly towards him, and the sea horse would dump him the laundry basket upon his arrival. "Aaya? Haa-san?"

Shigure checked the living room, but it was unoccupied. He was just wondering whether his cousins left the house when snatches of conversation floated in the room, making his jaw drop open in shock.

"_T-tori-san, are you sure it's—?"_

"—_coming out any minute now…"_

"_Maybe I'd better call a—I mean—"_

"_I said NO, Ayame. Now get me a glass of water."_

"_You need to push it NOW!"_

Shigure dropped the bag of groceries before rushing towards the kitchen where his cousins' voices were coming from, his heart thundering against his chest.

_"All right. Here it goes…"_

Silence.

"…_Tori-san! You're not pushing it!"_ screeched the voice of the snake, the urgency in his voice made the dog scamper even faster to the kitchen. _"Push it, Hatori!"_

What is happening? Hatori couldn't be in labor yet, could he?

"_I—I'm trying!"_ growled the sea horse, followed shortly after by a loud groan of frustration. _"I CAN'T DO IT!"_

"HAA-SAN!"

Shigure burst into the room, panting hard, startling both the sea horse and the snake. Both were bending in front of the microwave oven, with Hatori's finger was still poised over the button.

Ayame's sweaty face broke into a grin before straightening up. "Gure-san!" he cried joyously. "We didn't hear you arrive! Tori-san and I just tried to cook us dinner!"

"Yes, which this useless chunk of metal ruined," added Hatori, jabbing the microwave's button several more times before finally giving up. "The damned button is jammed."

"You know, Tori-san, we could've just pried it open with this," said Ayame, holding up a metal thong. "Then maybe we could've saved dinner…"

Still in shock, Shigure took in the mess that was his kitchen. Almost all the pans he owned were stacked over the sink. Food of all kinds, lay chopped, grinded, smashed and mixed in his counter and in the floor. There were also some charred pieces of what had been bacon once littered on his stove.

"Gure-san?" asked Ayame concernedly, peering on his face. "Are you all right?"

Shigure blinked at him bemusedly before heading straight to the confused doctor and glided his hand over Hatori's bulging stomach, to the surprise of both the sea horse and the snake.

"Shigure, what the hell are you doing?"

"You're still pregnant, right?" inquired Shigure slowly.

The doctor's surprise melted immediately and annoyance took its place. Swatting the novelist's hand away from his stomach, the doctor proceeded to the sink to start cleaning up.

"Shigure, I don't know what kind of insanity you have, but I'm not in the mood for your brainlessness. I'm hungry, sleepless and pregnant, so don't mess with me."

Then, understanding finally settled in the novelist's mind. His troubled face broke into a grin, and an expression Ayame recognized as relief. Then before long, Shigure was laughing right out loud.

"Aahaha! I thought for a second there that you're—" the dog's pause was so poignant it was barely noticeable. Hatori did notice, but let it pass by the strange fleeting look he glimpsed on the dog's eyes. "It was thoughtful of you, dear Aaya to have cooked me dinner. Now my hungry soul shall be fed by Aaya's dinner of love!"

At that, Ayame grinned brilliantly in response. "I shall do anything and everything for you, Gure-san!"

Hatori sighed. "Here we go again…"

The two exchanged grins and raised their thumbs up.

"YES!"

* * *

Later that night, after yet another exasperating dinner with his annoying cousins, Hatori found himself unable to sleep. Two weeks ago, he decided his condition was too apparent now to be able to do his job at the hospital without arousing suspicions anymore so he finally relented to Shigure's suggestion that he should stay at home.

At five months, his 'pouch' had now grown so large that he found himself having constant backaches from carrying the heavy burden and migraines from all the sleepless nights it caused. He of course expected the conditions, but was unprepared by the suddenness and the intensity of it.

Despite all these uncomfortable things that has been happening to him, he also experiences a strange emotion whenever the child inside him moves. He found himself tracing the path of the movement of his child with his hand. He even began to talk to the child, especially during daytime when he has the house to himself.

It felt good.

Looking up the clock, the time read two in the middle of the night. Hatori sighed and got carefully up, groaning softly with the effort and slowly made his way down to the kitchen to get a glass of milk. On his way, he noticed that the lights coming from one of the rooms downstairs.

Wondering why the idiot dog was still up, Hatori made a detour and stood before Shigure's room.

"The door's open, Haa-san… you don't need to go sneaking around," the novelist's light-hearted voice came from within.

Hatori slid the door open and allowed himself inside. "I'm not sneaking," he informed the dog who was resting his head on his desk beside the computer monitor.

Shigure grinned weakly at him, "What merited me this unexpected visit?"

"You thought I was all ready in labor then, didn't you?"

The dog, if the statement surprised him, didn't show it. "You know Haa-san, you can be some sort of mind reader. You'll make a fortune there."

"I don't read minds. I use my common sense. You're worried because of what happened to my mother. Is that it?"

Shigure propped his elbow on his desk and rested his chin on his palm and eyed the doctor amusedly. "You really should consider a change in career."

Hatori ignored the sarcasm and sat down on the dog's neatly made futon. "Her condition when she gave birth was already unstable. My birth did not cause her death," the doctor paused and met the gaze of the novelist evenly. "Her disease at that time is not hereditary nor contagious."

They stared at each other for several more seconds, but the tension ended when Shigure's face broke into a relieved grin. "Well, that's good to hear," he said quietly.

Hatori didn't say anything else and a comfortable silence fell between them.

"I'm not sleepy yet," he said after a while in answer to Hatori's unspoken question. "So might as well _work_ it out."

Hatori ignored the weak pun. "Something else is bothering you," he stated without ado.

The dog's eyes widened ever so slightly before shrugging nonchalantly. "It's nothing important. Just another deadline to beat…"

"You never beat your deadlines; you torture them."

"That's cruel, Haa-san. I'm only having fun."

"Some fun. It's almost sadistic, driving the woman insane like that."

Shigure chuckled. "Mit-chan's tougher than any editor I ever had. I think she'll stay around for some time."

The sea horse shook his head in pity for the helpless woman, knowing the worst of Shigure's antics is yet to come. "You can't dodge the subject, Shigure. Something's bothering you and it shows; that's why I need to know."

The novelist straightened up and stretched his arms over his head, allowing his bones to relieve their stiffness. "It's nothing important," he repeated, before turning to his computer. "Get some sleep, Haa-san…"

Hatori's eye twitched in the obvious dismissal. The novelist began typing away and seemed to take no more notice of the doctor in the room. The sea horse closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. "I will not be dismissed that easily, Shigure," he said simply. "I'm determined to stay here until you tell me what I want to know."

Shigure's fingers paused in mid-air for a split-second before they danced once more in the keyboard.

Hatori sat still in the futon and waited patiently.

Long minutes passed when nothing but the dull _clack-clack-clack_ sound of keys being pressed was heard in the room. Then, just when Hatori thought of finally relenting, the sound stopped abruptly and the room fell eerily silent. The sea horse glanced at his cousin, waiting.

"…It wasn't fair."

Hatori sighed inwardly. At last…"What does?"

"How life works."

"What made you say that?"

Shigure leaned on the backrest until his head was tilted upwards. Though Hatori couldn't see his expression, the frustration was very evident in the dog's voice. "Just look at us! We turn into animals at the slightest contact... We're technically _freaks_, _monsters_ so to speak…. We can't get close to other people without them having their memories erased… and it wasn't even our choice to be like this. Where's fairness in that?"

Hatori didn't answer immediately. He knew the novelist was waiting but the doctor took his time. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet and inquiring. "This is about Akito?"

Shigure straightened up at that, and as he did, the doctor saw the novelist's unshed tears shining in his eyes. The dog smiled wryly. "The one person I can possibly love turns out to be the one person who utterly hates us… isn't that funny?" Shigure began to chuckle a mirthless laugh. "It's funny. But that's life… funny, but cruel."

"Shigure…"

"I will break this curse, Hatori," proclaimed Shigure softly, but with absolute resolve. "She can't be the only woman I'll love. She just couldn't be…"

Hatori stood up carefully and began to leave, satisfied that the dog had finally spoken of what was troubling him. He knew Shigure would find a way to talk to him again should he want to again. For now, what he heard was enough.

The dog looked up at him, and smiled. "Pleasant dreams, Haa-san…"

Hatori nodded once. "Good night, Shigure."

* * *

**A/N:**

Hey! Yeah… um… I'm back! (-.-) after a short hibernation period. (yeah, that was short) Um, I'm sorry for the delay and well, I hope you enjoyed this one.

Much, much emo in this chapter… yeah, because what is life without emo?

I love Hatori-Shigure moments! (_friendship_, mind you) Though I also like Ayame-Shigure moments, I think there's a deeper, richer friendship between our dear sea horse and our cuddly dog than meets the eye. So… yeah. (-,-)

Um, I've got another question for you guys… I haven't decided on this yet so might as well ask you. Should I make Hari's child a girl or a boy? Please give your reason why… thanks! (-,-)

Please drop me a line or two on what you think of this story. Thanks very much for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chpater XI.**

* * *

"Something's not right."

Kyo looked up at the sound of the voice. Hatsuharu stood beside him staring off to the right, wearing a mystified expression on his calm features. The cat ignored him and went back to tying his shoelace with great concentration.

The damned strings kept getting loose. What was he doing wrong with these things?

"Stupid shoelace," he gritted his teeth, as his fingers got entangled with the strings. He managed to release his fingers from the mess and scowled at his shoes.

Then, he felt a tug on his sleeves, and turning to the ox who still held his sleeve, he glared in annoyance. "What, you stupid cow?"

Haru was staring at him expectantly. "Well, something's not right. Is there?"

Kyo swatted the younger juunishi's hand from his sleeve. "How should I know what the hell you're talking about?" snapped Kyo irritably.

The twelve year-old ox sat down beside the bristling cat in the stairs and gazed back at the doorway. Kyo gave his cousin another glare and went back into figuring out how exactly could he tie his shoe with the tangled mess of strings.

A rare, comfortable silence settled between the two Juunishi.

"Don't you think it's weird?" asked the ox abruptly, startling the cat into missing another of his loops.

"Damn it, Haru!" snarled Kyo, taking hold of the other's shirt. "Why won't you just shut your mouth?"

Haru's eyes narrowed, but surprisingly, his temper didn't explode. He simply batted the cat's hands away from his shirt and nodded towards the door. "They are celebrating Hatori-san's birthday even if he's not here. With a baby-themed party too… It's almost like a baby shower."

Kyo momentarily forgot his anger and followed his cousin's gaze.

There in the doorway, the dog and snake of the Zodiac were welcoming newly arrived guests bearing wrapped gifts, and ushering them inside. It took several seconds before Kyo remembered that they were indeed at the sea horse's house where apparently, a birthday celebration was being held, without the celebrant's presence in the house.

"Why should we care?" snorted Kyo, turning away from the scene in disgust (the snake had noticed his stare and went to blow him kisses) and turning back to his shoe. "If that perverted dog and that idiotic snake wanted to do it, let them."

"Hatori-san's been missing since New Year's," muttered Haru, as if to himself. "It's been three months since that medical mission… Hm… A mystery."

"Pft, so what're you going do about it?" snapped Kyo, losing patience. He finally tied his shoelace correctly and stared at the ox. "What, are you going to search Japan for that stiff-assed dragon?"

Haru gave him a strange smile, and only the familiar glint of recklessness in his eyes told Kyo of what was going on in the ox's mind.

Kyo groaned loudly, rubbing his temples exasperatedly. "You're not serious, are you?"

His smile growing wider, Haru stood and quietly said, "Let's go."

* * *

"The party's going well, ne, Gure-san?" asked Ayame, pleased on how their scheme was going smoothly. His yellow eyes swept over the guests (of which consists of the Juunishi's families) having a fairly good time with all the food and activities inside Hatori's house. "We should definitely do this more often!" 

Shigure sipped on his steaming cup of tea before nodding. "All our planning during the last four months was well worth it, Aaya."

"Of course it was worth it!" exclaimed the snake, then, batting his eyelashes mischievously, he leaned near the dog's ear and whispered, "Especially since they were _closed -door_ meetings, ne Gure-san?"

Shigure returned the grin, "Yes, that made things much, _much_ interesting indeed."

Then, his face sobered. "I guess it really is good that we we're able to convince Momitchi's dad to reschedule the Annual meeting of the big bosses… Akito would have done everything to ruin this if she found out earlier…"

Ayame was about to say something else when a movement by the stairs caught his eye. Turning, he saw the ox and the cat of the Zodiac slipping away to the sea horse's clinic, away from the party. Apparently, the boys' little escape didn't go unnoticed by the snake alone, as the young boar immediately abandoned her fruit shake and went after them.

"I didn't know youngsters today are already aware of their sexuality," he said rather wistfully, as the teens disappeared from his view.

Shigure, who had also seen the three, turned to Ayame with a slight frown. "But I thought it was Yuki whom Haru fancied…" after giving it some three seconds of thought, he shrugged. "Eh, his taste must have changed since… Anyway, Kagura would see to it that the boys would not follow the path we took when we're at their age, Aaya."

"I hope so, then they wouldn't discover that such pleasures exist yet," said Ayame teasingly.

"It would be rather fun if we could teach them soon, ne Aaya?" smirked Shigure, nearly upsetting his tea at the amusing thought.

"It would be very interesting…" agreed Ayame, eyes lighting up.

They grinned and did their signature move.

"YES!"

* * *

"Oi! Oi, octopus-head! We've been walking for two freakin' hours now! Where _exactly_ are we going? Kagura! Get the hell off me!" 

"But Kyo-kun! I missed you so much! How come you're not me visiting anymore?"

Haru ignored the voices of his older cousins and walked on, staring at the piece of paper that he got from the sea horse's desk. The ox had never seen a map so poorly drawn. The lines and squiggles were confusing beyond relief.

He paused by a corner of the street, still staring intently on the piece of paper. "I wonder what this arrow meant…" he muttered to himself, staring at the odd angle.

Suddenly, the paper was snatched away from Haru's hands. He didn't comment as he let the cat look the map over.

After several moments, (as Kyo's expression grew darker for every passing second) Kyo leapt up and strangled the passive ox, screeching, "You damned stupid octopus! You were looking at the map upside down, idiot cow!"

Haru snarled, his Black side stirred from the display of the cat, and shoved his cousin angrily. "If you are so brainy as you imply, shitless kitty, then you should have taken the fucking paper in the first place!"

"I tried, you damned cow!" yelled Kyo as he glared at the young woman wrapped around him, "But _something_ seems to be holding me back."

SLAM!

Haru took a step backwards to avoid the hurtling body of the cat as the boar raged, "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT LOOK FOR, KYO-KUN?"

The paper fluttered near the ox's feet. He picked it up and studied at it again, wondering if the sea horse was indeed living in that address. He glanced at his cousins as Kyo screamed from the bone-crushing hug Kagura was giving him.

"You two might want to get a room next time…"

To say that Kyo's quite vulgar expression and Kagura's squeal of glee was expected was clearly an understatement; so Haru simply shrugged and walked away, his eyes never leaving the paper.

* * *

It was peaceful and quiet all around. The hallways were empty and the floors were gleaming. Birds were chirping merrily outside, celebrating the beautiful day. 

And it was annoying the hell out of him.

Normally, Hatori wouldn't have even been bothered by the emptiness of the house. He would even be glad for the absence of the abnormally loud voices of his cousins, but on this particular day, he found himself wanting to peel the skins off the dog and the snake for leaving him to rot in the godforsaken house they harbored him into.

He gritted his teeth as he tried once more to concentrate on his book and ignore the nagging feeling of depression.

Long minutes passed. The steady sound of the clock ticking filled the quiet room.

His visible eye twitched.

The silence stretched…

A knock at the door made the sea horse bolt out of his seat and dash to the front door, and threw it wide open with a scowl.

"Shigure I swear I'm—" then he stopped, blood draining from his face.

It was not the pervert novelist standing on the foyer wearing his usual stupid grin. Instead, a young mailman stood before the doctor, eyes wide and jaw open in utter shock.

Grimacing, Hatori realized that he had forgotten to wear the wig Ayame had lent him to use when answering the door when neither the door nor the snake was at home. Hatori had strongly refused at that time, saying he would rather be eaten by a flesh-eating slug than to wear the repulsive thing. But Ayame still insisted him to wear it so Hatori could at least step outside the house without worrying that someone might notice his unique condition. Having conceded to wear loose kimono both for comfort and practicality of it was torture enough for the sea horse to bear.

Regaining composure, he eyed the package on the young man's hands. "I understand you have something for me," he stated.

"Huh?" the young man started, glancing at the package. "O-oh…. Um, you have a mail, ma'am—I—I mean s-sir! I… I was told to personally deliver this t-to Sohma Hatori-sensei…" the mailman's voice trailed off, as his gaze landed once again on Hatori's stomach.

"That's me," replied Hatori, receiving the package at the dazed-looking boy. He signed the form and handed it back to the mailman before turning back to the house.

"Um! Uh, sensei…" called the mailman hesitantly, making Hatori pause. If the young man asks what the sea horse thought he would then the doctor had no choice but to do _it_.

"Yes?"

"Um… Maybe my mind's just playing tricks on me, but sensei—are you like… pregnant?"

Hatori sighed and approached the young man again, tucking his mail underneath his arm. "Do I look like I'm pregnant?"

The young man was very much uncomfortable. "Well… I t-think so."

"You have something on your forehead," commented Hatori critically.

The mailman's hand automatically went up. "I do?"

"Here, let me remove it for you."

As Hatori's index and middle fingers touched the young man's forehead, there came a flash of light before the man crumpled neatly to the ground. With a sigh, Hatori dragged the unconscious mailman into a sitting position and before retreating back to the house.

Inspecting the mail, which turned out to be a letter to Shigure from his ever-suffering editor, asking Hatori if he knew the novelist's new address (apparently, Shigure had told the woman that he was moving to Osaka and he was leaving the house in Hatori's care) and begging him to write her back as soon as possible or she will commit seppuku.

Calmly putting the letter aside, Hatori picked up his mobile phone and dialed Shigure's number. When the voice mail picked up, Hatori left his message rather elaborately.

"Shigure, I'm going to slowly torture you to death by removing all your major organs and feed them to a school of hungry piranhas. Then I'll drain your blood to water my plants with and put every strand of your muscle fibers into a shredder."

* * *

Kagura stared around the clearing, frowning slightly. On her left hand, she held a piece of paper and on the other one she clutched the limp hand of a badly beaten Kyo. Behind her trailed her younger cousin who was looking bemusedly around.

"Is this the place, Kagura-chan?" the mild-mannered boy asked her.

The boar shook her head. "It's further up ahead. Don't go ahead on your own, Haru; just keep close to me and Kyo-kun so you won't get lost."

The youngsters trekked the dirt road until they reach a flight of stairs leading all the way up. Kagura paused and studied the map again.

"Yes, this leads to the place," she confirmed. Turning to the semi-conscious cat, she beamed, "We're going to see Hari soon, Kyo-kun!" then, she gasped, grasping his shirt tightly and shaking him rather violently. "OH MY! Kyo-kun! What happened to you? Why do you look so beaten up? YOU NEED A DOCTOR! Darling Kyo-kun! Don't worry! Hari's just up of those stairs! LET"S GO!"

With that, the boar dashed up the flight of stairs, dragging the helpless cat behind her. Following a bit more slowly, the ox ascended the stairs as well.

After another short walk after the stairs, they reached a fairly secluded two-story house. In the fading afternoon light, it would seem that the house was devoid of any living thing. Kagura knocked by the door hesitantly.

"Hello?" she called. "Hello? Is anyone home?"

There was no answer, but that boar could swear there came a rustle inside.

"Um," she continued, grasping Kyo's hand a bit tighter in trepidation (making the cat moan "My bones… my poor bones!") "My cousins and I are looking for someone, maybe you could help us—"

The door slid slightly open and a rather tall, blonde-haired woman peered through. Her voice was much deeper than an ordinary woman when she spoke.

"What can I do for—" her olive eyes widened slightly as she stared at them.

Kagura was also startled. "Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am! My cousins and I were looking for another cousin of ours with this map, and it lead us here. Sorry for bothering—"

"Hatori-san?" questioned the white and black haired boy quietly.

Both the woman and Kagura stared at the ox; Kagura's was stern.

"Haru!" she scowled, her tone scolding. "Hari's not here. Maybe that map's wrong or something…" turning back again to the woman, she bowed apologetically, "We're really sorry for the bother ma'am. We should be going now—"

The woman sighed and opened the door wider. She was wearing a loose dark green kimono with its light green obi tied around her large belly. She was pregnant. "You can stay for a while, then I'll call Ayame to take you back to the Estate."

The boar was shaking her head and saying, "Oh, no please, it would be too much—" when something kicked in. "Wait. Estate? A-ayame?"

Kyo groggily sat up and rubbed his neck. "Aw, I feel like I've been hit by a ten wheeler truck," he groaned. He glanced around, and his crimson eyes landed on the woman by the doorway, narrowing as they did. "You look awfully like a stiff-assed doctor I know, lady," he commented without much thought.

The 'lady' scowled darkly and tugged on her blonde hair, which promptly slid off, making both Kagura and Kyo gasp audibly.

Haru, on the other hand, shoved both of his hands on his shorts' pockets, staring at the displeased expression older Juunishi.

"I knew it was you, Hatori-san," he simply said.

**

* * *

A/N: **

(Ducks a barrage of random things thrown at my direction) Uh… Hi! I'm back… Apparently, I got lost in the way of life—ooops, wrong anime. (-,-;)

At this point of my story, I bet you're all feeling confused at the status of Haa-san's pregnancy thru the chapters (I know I am). So here's the outline:

**October** – Conception

**November** – 1st

**December** – 2nd (Chapters I, II, III and IV)

**January** – New Years - 3rd month (Chapters V, VI, VII, VIII and IX)

**February** – 4th

**March** – 5th (Chapter X)

**April** – 6th (Chapter XI)

**May** – 7th

**June** – 8th

**July** – 9th

I moved Hatori's birthday to April, as I found out in Wikipedia that's he's a Cancer which means his birthday is any day between June and July, for the purposes of this story.

Oh, and I was really overwhelmed by all your answers to my question! Really, I was not expecting such _passionate_ response! (O.O) Thanks a lot!

Ahaha, but I decided to be a bit cruel and still hold off the actual birth. (ducks another rain of sharp and pointy objects) Yeah, there's still more to happen before it. And so just enjoy the ride. (-,-)

I hope that somehow this chapter's worth the long wait… (-.-)

Please drop me a line or two on what you think of this story. Thanks very much for reading! (-,-)


	12. Chapter 12

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter XII.**

* * *

"My dear Kyonkitchi, I simply cannot understand a word you're saying."

Ayame frowned slightly as another burst of garbled talk issued from the other side of the line. He had only waltzed in Hatori's bedroom carrying extravagantly wrapped gifts when the phone started ringing. To hear the panicky voice of the Juunishi's cat on the other end (joined by another shrill, shrieking voice in the background) was quite a surprise.

"What was that again? Tea? Hatori wants me for tea?"

The loud, quite elaborate string of curses from the teen's mouth was spoken very clearly, but the snake was unperturbed.

"I still can't understand. Would you care to repeat—?"

"JUST GET YOUR FREAKIN' ASS HERE!" roared the enraged voice of the cat, which made Ayame hold the phone at an arm's length. "HATORI MAY BE DYING AND YOU KEPT ON BLABBER—"

That made Ayame scramble to get the phone again. "What did you say?"

"FUCK OFF, IDIOT SNAKE! I'M NOT GOING TO—"

"_Kyo_."

At the snake's sudden venomous tone, the bristling cat fell silent.

Taking a deep breath, Ayame asked quietly, "What about Hatori?"

As Ayame listened to the hasty explanation of the teen, blood drained from his face. "Oh, good god!" he gasped. "I need to tell Gure-san! Kyo, tell Kagura-chan and Haa-kun to hold on! We'll be right there."

With that, the snake threw the phone on the bed unceremoniously and grabbed his coat over the desk and dashed away, ignoring the forming moisture on the corner of his eyes, and calling loudly for the dog.

_Hold on, Haa-san… We're coming…_

* * *

It happened so quickly.

One moment, he was sitting on the floor sorting Hatori's gifts, then the snake was dragging him towards the car babbling something about Hatori being in danger then the next moment, they were driving a break-neck speed towards his secluded house. They arrived in barely fifteen minutes, considering the distance, and were already bursting in the door before the youngsters inside realized they'd arrived. Only one look at the limp body of the sea horse in the wooden floor was enough for both the dog and the snake.

"What the hell—","Tori-san!" exclaimed the two adults at the same time.

"Shii-chan! Aya-chan! Thank god!" cried Kagura in relief, surging forward to grasp each of their arms. "Hurry! Hari's shaking so much! He-he's…"

Shigure hurried to the sea horse, checking his pulse. Hatori's eyes were rolling beneath their lids, his skin was cold and clammy, and his breathing was shallow and noisy.

"He's going into shock," he muttered worriedly. Thinking quickly, he turned to the others. "Kagura-chan, grab some blankets upstairs. Kyo, get a cloth and drench it in warm water. Aaya—"

"I understand," said Ayame, moving quickly to assist Shigure in lifting the sea horse's taller form and bringing him to the backseat of his car. "What's happening to him, Gure-san?" asked Ayame, yellow eyes troubled.

"I... don't know yet, Aaya," answered Shigure grimly. Looking at the anxious youngsters, who followed them outside, he hid his actual agitation and forced himself to speak calmly. "We need to get him to the nearest clinic. Kagura-chan and Kyo-kun, stay with Ayame for a while. I'll take Haa-kun with me and Hatori."

"But, Gure-san—" began the tailor, but the novelist was already shaking his head.

"We can't Aaya. You drive too recklessly, and someone needs to take these kids home. I just need Haa-kun here to tell me what happened, as he's least likely freak out about the situation. Aaya," said Shigure, looking the crest-fallen snake. "You understand, right?"

Ayame drew himself up and nodded. "Go ahead, Gure-san."

Shigure nodded back and called the ox, who quietly followed the novelist.

Ayame turned to the youngsters as soon as the car was out of sight. His expression was pained, a testament on how badly he wanted to be with his friend in time of need. "What exactly happened?"

Kagura was wearing a distressed look. "Well, we were trying to find Hari with the map Haru found in the clinic… Hari let us in and was about to call you when he suddenly started convulsing," she paused, eyes watering slightly. "It was like his whole body is stiffening and jerking at the same time. H-he… he was shaking so much! It was frightening!"

"I was calling you for the seventh time already, snake," growled Kyo, kicking his shoe in the dirt quite forcefully. Even the cat seemed to have been shaken up by what he'd seen. "It looks like he couldn't breathe too. He was turning purple," he added, throwing the horrified tailor an accusatory look.

Walking back at the house, he muttered under his breath, "Tch. I should've stayed at home. Stupid cow, dragging me in this mess. I'm going to beat the crap out of him…"

Entwining her hands together as she watched the irritated cat disappear, Kagura continued, "Then, he… he was trying to tell us something. I think it was 'eclampsia', some disease or some sort… B-but his mouth began to froth, and that was what really frightened all of us. Then, he lost consciousness," she ended worriedly. She grabbed handfuls of the tailor's robes. "Hari's going to be fine right, Aya-san? And his baby too, right? This—this 'eclampsia' thing isn't that serious, right?"

Ayame met the watery gaze of his younger cousin, before kneeling before her. He forced a bright smile. "I'm sure he's going to be fine… I mean, he's our dearest Soham Hatori is he not? This 'eclampsia' monster can't beat a mighty dragon prince like him. Now come, let us go and prepare dears Haa-san, Gure-san and Haa-kun a hot, delicious dinner when they come home."

Kagura eyed him hesitantly, but nodded. Ayame gave her another encouraging smile and watched until she disappeared indoors. Only then did Ayame's happy façade fell, and genuine fright and worry took place.

"Oh, Hatori… Please be safe…" he whispered.

* * *

Shigure gritted his teeth, his hands unconsciously gripping the wheel tighter. Having heard the ox's account, he was more desperate than ever to find a nearby clinic; the nearest hospital was still some ways ahead, but the novelist knew that Hatori's condition couldn't wait for that long. 

It didn't help his mood at all when the overcast sky broke into pelting rain, hitting against his windshield mercilessly.

Eclampsia.

He knew what that complication meant, having used it in one of his novels before. It was a complication in pregnancy caused by pregnancy-induced hypertension and characterized by convulsions that may lead to either heart failure or comatose and early delivery.

In his novel, the lead female character died with her child because of it.

_Damn it!_

"Shigure-san, I see a clinic ahead."

Shigure glanced at the direction Haru was pointing. Immediately, Shigure pulled over and grabbed his umbrella. "Wait here, Haa-kun."

Some minutes later, he, Haru and the doctor named Watabe Omi managed to get Hatori inside the clinic and lying comfortably in the bed.

"Get her warmed up," said the doctor, tossing the novelist and the ox several thick blankets, before hurrying upstairs to his personal quarters. "I need to place a few calls. Give me a few seconds."

Though Shigure was thankful that the doctor was a male, (as the danger of the patient turning suddenly into a ea horse was minimized) he wondered how Watabe would react if he finds out that his patient was a man himself.

"Sorry about that," said Watabe, reappearing in the office while dragging his lab coat on. He squinted his hazel eyes on Hatori's pale features. "My fiancée happened to be the best obstetrician I know, so I called her to come over. Now, let's see what I can do. Sohma-san, Sohma-kun, please wait outside."

Watabe was fairly young for a doctor, like Hatori, but he was as efficient in his job as the sea horse himself. Shigure has no doubt that the man, specialty or not, would do his best to stabilize Hatori's condition.

The small waiting area of Watabe's clinic was homey, with plush sofas and a sturdy coffee table in the middle of the room. The mint-colored walls of the room gave a relaxing ambiance.

Not that it helped calm Shigure's nerves. Several seconds after they had both sat on the comfy sofas, the novelist stood abruptly and began pacing, clenching and unclenching his fists in a very agitated manner.

Haru watched his older cousin for several minutes walking back and forth in front of him. Then, he stood up.

Shigure, startled by his sudden movement, raised an eyebrow in question.

The white and black-haired boy shrugged. "I'm bored. I'm going to take a look around."

Haru should have saved his breath, as the novelist had long begun pacing once more. "Take an umbrella with you," said Shigure distractedly, running a shaky hand through his damp hair.

Haru frowned slightly. "Are you going to be all right, Shigure-san?"

"Yes, I left it by the front door."

Sighing, the teen shoved both of his hands in his pockets and left the waiting area. He was not really sure if visitors were allowed to roam around the doctor's house, but he doesn't really care either way.

Reaching the living room, he found a T.V. He paused for a moment, studying the empty screen before flopping down on the sofa and flicked it on with the control. After several minutes of channel surfing, he landed on a channel featuring a cattle slaughterhouse.

"SHIT!"

Feeling suddenly nauseated, he jabbed the Off button fiercely and tossed the control away from him, as if it burned him. He shook his head viciously to rid himself of the horrifying mental images.

His eyes then landed on a group of framed photographs standing on one of the side tables. Curious, he drew nearer and studied the photographs. There was the Watabe doctor in his childhood days, a high school picture with his friends, his college graduation portrait, several others.

A photo of a smiling woman placed in the middle of all these caught his attention.

Something nagged Haru's thoughts as he picked up the photograph of the woman. He knew he'd seen the woman before. The sense of familiarity was too strong.

He frowned.

But how and where?

* * *

Shigure had stopped pacing. He had stopped clenching and unclenching his fists. His eyes had stopped roaming around the room, trying to find peace in that supposedly peaceful room.

In fact, he stopped moving at all.

He just stood there in the middle of the room, with narrowed eyes directed in the wall clock above him. He could swear that the clock was silently mocking him, going in too fast and too slow at the same time.

_Shit. It's been what, thirty, forty-five minutes? An hour? What's taking the damned doctor so long?_

So engrossed was he with his glaring contest with the innocent clock, that he didn't hear the doorbell rang.

And rang.

And rang.

And raaaannnng.

Finally the sudden pounding knocks seemed to have roused the novelist. He walked over the door and opened it curiously, wondering at the same time of he should go and alert the doctor that he has a visitor.

Then, Shigure's jaw dropped to the floor.

There in the patio stood a woman in bright yellow coat, gripping a white umbrella with both hands. Her light brown hair was swept into a neat ponytail, and her brown eyes, although pleasant and warm, held a questioning look.

Still, she smiled brightly at him.

"Oh, hello. Are you Omi-kun's patient's husband?"

Shigure gaped.

"Kana-san?"

**

* * *

A/N: **

(whistles to the tune of Jingle Bells)

Since it's the time to be jolly, (tra-la-la-la-la lalala!) let us hold the assassination attempts of the author until the end of the holiday season, shall we? (-.-;)

Yeah, sooo… I'm baack! Yay! And I'm still making our favorite sea horse's life miserable! YAY!

Woo-hoo! 182 reviews! I feel so loved! Thanks a lot people! (T,T) I'm sorry I've been so busy lately, but I'll still try to update as often as I could.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all! 

Please drop me a line or two on what you think of this story. Thanks very much for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter XIII.

* * *

**

Shigure watched apprehensively as the expression in the young woman's face changed from politely curious, to bizarrely confused, and then to utter shock. With wide eyes, Kana bounced on the balls of her feet, flailing her arms about her. 

"Ooh! I know you!" she said almost accusingly, making Shigure nearly jump out of his skin.

"R-really?" stammered Shigure, gripping the door so hard one might think he was trying to break it. For the canine of the Juunishi, it was safe to say that this has to be one of the most sweat-inducing moments in his life. The other was when he was in his animal form playing catch with Aaya. He swallowed the large lump in his throat. "You k-know me?"

Kana nodded. "You are Sohma Shigure! Writer of "Sigh of a Summer Affair". Hm… I read that before, although it's more of a smut…"

Shigure sweat-dropped. "Aa... Glad you liked it."

There was still something akin to confusion in her hazel eyes, as if she was figuring out some sort of puzzle in her head. Shigure immediately knew what it was, and he also knew that it was a dangerous flow of thought for this young woman.

So when Kana opened her mouth to ask, Shigure hurriedly cut her off.

"Doctor… my spouse is hurting so I—"

Kana took up the bait, shifting immediately to her physician-mode, stepping into the house and pulling out her med coat from her bag. "Okay, where along is she? How badly was she hurt?"

Suppressing a sigh of relief, Shigure followed her to the clinic. "She's just in her sixth month and a half… she's fallen unconscious after some bouts of convulsion. What's happening, doc?"

"Hm. Was she suffering from hypertension during the last few weeks?"

"I—"

Shigure stopped. _Was_ Hatori suffering from hypertension, or any sickness for that matter?

He remembered seeing Hatori more than once clutching at his stomach. He had asked if the sea horse was in pain, but the doctor waved it off as normal abdominal pain, induced by pregnancy. Hatori obviously didn't want to talk about it, so Shigure stopped asking. Shigure also suspected that it was Hatori vomiting almost every other night, instead of Ayame who had lots of food allergy. And how many times was it again that the sea horse roamed the house at night, apparently unable to sleep?

The novelist mentally slapped himself. God, his friend was actually sick right under his nose, and he didn't even noticed! What kind of friend were he and Aaya?

_And what the hell was Hatori's problem?! He is a fucking doctor, and he didn't even consider seeing what's wrong with him._

Shigure was starting to hate himself more and more by the minute, but he also grew resentful of the sea horse.

The sound of a door opening and hurried footsteps saved the novelist from answering, as both he and Kana turned to the grim-looking Watabe shrugging out of his med coat. Kana approached him and touched his arm in concern.

"I'll go and see her now, Omi-kun," said Kana, before kissing his cheek and hurrying to the emergency room.

"I've stabilized Sohma-san's status now, and she's out of coma," said Watabe wearily, sinking on a nearby chair. "I injected some anesthesia so she would be relieved of some of the pain her back must have been suffering. And I conducted several tests on her blood pressure, which I found strange…"

"I'll go and see her now, Omi-kun," said Kana, before kissing his cheek and hurrying to the emergency room.

"Strange?" asked Shigure carefully, knowing full well of what he speak of. The Juunishi's blood pressure is quite more erratic than what is considered normal, as both their body and spirit are being merged to that of their animal counterparts.

The doctor stared at him then. The dog didn't like the way the doctor was looking at him. It was way too shrewd for his taste. A bad feeling wrapped itself in the dog's being.

"Ah, yes… Strange. Though I must say I never encountered anything like this my whole life," said Watabe, with an air of incredulity. Turning to the dog with a dark look, he said, "A pregnant woman, I'm accustomed to see… Would you care to explain how you managed to defy the laws of nature and get your boyfriend pregnant, Sohma-san?"

Shigure must have looked like a fool, opening and closing his mouth wordlessly like a fish out of the water. He knew he was a genius with words and manipulating other people to his liking but it's not everyday someone asking him how he managed to impregnate a man.

Watabe stood up and stared abruptly back to the emergency room. "I'm going to help Kana, and she will surely freak out if she found out what I did," he said gravely. He stared pointedly at Shigure. "We expect a full account later, Sohma-san."

* * *

"Oh… my… god…" 

She was completely shocked by the image in front of her. All her mental functions temporarily halted as she stared at her patient. With the patient's kimono cut off, Kana could see that from the chest up (excluding the wig), her patient was very male. With flat chest, broad shoulders and an Adam's apple to boot, he was undoubtedly a man. But his stomach was bulging, very obviously pregnant. And very obviously too, he was in pain.

The slight moan of pain made Kana jump to life. Before being a bewildered, completely shocked female, she was a doctor first. Professionalism won over shock.

The door opened, and she threw her future husband a grateful look. He held a guarded look, which she could feel rather than see from his surgical mask She immediately gestured at him. "Quick, Omi-kun. We need to perform cesarean immediately."

Thankfully, he simply nodded.

It was a horribly hard to work on an operation with very limited supplies and instruments, and with very minimal manpower. But between her and her fiancé, they were able to deliver the baby without too much complication.

Finally, they got the child. But to the couple's horror, the baby wasn't breathing. Kana immediately administered all the procedure she knew just to get the baby to breathe.

"Oh please… Breath!" she mumbled as she worked quickly. Another minute, and they would surely lose the baby. The thought terrified her senseless, and she wanted to cry just from the thought of it. "God… please!"

The first cry of the infant brought relief to Kana, as she cradled the baby in her arms, bundled in several layers of blankets. For some reason, she felt as if her heart wanted to explode with sheer joy that she felt her eyes watering as she stared at the tiny baby crying in her arms. She guessed it must be that it was a miracle that the child survived at all, being three months pre-mature. Not all infants survive this early delivery.

Her fiancé was also obviously relieved; it showed in the way his shoulders lost much of their tension. He then nodded at her, before setting off to work on stitching back the man's abdomen.

Kana went to the adjacent room and turned on the tap water, setting it to lukewarm before washing the blood and bodily fluids off the infant's body. She gently dried the baby's body in blankets, and hummed softly, trying to soothe the wailing baby. Once asleep, she placed the baby in the clinic's incubator. The poor infant was still struggling to breath, by the way the tiny chest heaved laboriously.

"Please…" she said softly, feeling absolutely wretched that she could do nothing for now but to wait for any improvement in the baby's condition. "Please live."

* * *

_The scent of spring…_

The freshness that comes after a long winter, where grass shoots up in the icy ground in vibrant green; the smell of newly bloomed flowers, and clean air…

It was the one scent that he could never forget. It was _her_ scent. And he could never forget her. Somehow, it always lingers in any room she's been in, long after she left it. For long months after the incident with Akito, the scent haunted him. It teased and taunted him, letting him smell her yet taking her forever away from him.

_It was…_

But after a while, it faded.

He tried searching for it, missing it the moment it was gone, when he had spent so many days before wishing it would leave.

_When was it…?_

The last time he smelt it was the day she packed her bags to leave the clinic. The day when she cheerfully thanked him for being such a good instructor and colleague; the day when she said goodbye, and walked away in that cold rainy day… never looking back.

_Is this… _

He could vaguely hear voices speaking. His body felt so heavy so he didn't even bother to move, knowing it was futile. But still, he forced his eyes open. He had to know. He simply _needs_ to.

A silhouette of a brown-haired woman hovering above him with creased brows greeted his blurry sight. She leaned over to say something, and though he can't hear her very well, he understood clearly what she said.

"It's going to be alright…"

His eyes slowly closed themselves, but as he drifted back to sleep, he knew. He believed her.

_Is this… spring?_

* * *

**A/N:**

(gasps)… HATORI GAVE BIRTH! (more gasps)

Heh. Finally, took him long enough. (-,-;)

I know that the cesarean operation part is next to impossible, seeing as there are only two doctors available and in a small clinic at that. I asked around and found out that the cesarean operation is possible in the presence of at least two doctors, one is required to be an anesthesiologist... So I made up the excuse of having Watabe some knowledge of it. Problem-solved! (-,-)

Please don't react on this part anymore, saying that the operation is not possible or give me the technical detail of such. Let us remember again that this is **fiction**, and anything goes in fiction. Thanks for the consideration!

I have a horrible crime against you guys on this one… Hm. I wonder how many are going to notice this? Ahehe… (hides behind some random barrel for safety).

Thanks for reading! Please drop me a line or two on what you think of this story. Thanks a lot!


	14. Chapter 14

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter XIV.**

* * *

The woman had a hand covering her mouth, her hazel eyes wide, and glossy with tears threatening to pour at any given time. The doctor who had his arm wrapped about her shoulders was staring at Shigure with open incredulity. The couple was visibly shaken.

Haru turned his gaze over his older cousin, who was currently sporting a solemn expression, which the ox thought was disgustingly fake. Well, at least it was for Haru, having known the novelist for a long time. How the dog was able to keep a straight face after what he just told the couple was beyond the younger Juunishi.

"I-is that even possible?" muttered the doctor, almost to himself.

Shigure, however, deemed it was for him to answer. He nodded gravely, wiping a non-existent tear in the corner of his eye. "We had never thought it was during the first few weeks. But when she came home from that travel, looking l-like—"

Here, the novelist's voice broke as he gave a small sob, hiding his face behind his sleeve. His shoulders were shaking hard, so the woman gently patted his other hand, her eyes watering sympathetically.

Shigure was obviously giggling, and the pervert was so obviously enjoying the contact. Haru almost rolled his eyes.

With a deep breath, Shigure lifted his face from hiding, his face a picture of despair, before continuing brokenly. "We didn't know what t-they did to her there, o-or who those people are. She was t-terrified when she got back… She thought that we'd be ashamed of her and leave her. But we'd never do that… We love her. We're… family."

At that, the woman buried her face on her fiancé's shoulder and sobbed hard. The doctor patted her shoulders consolingly, before turning to Shigure with a sad look.

"I… have no idea what medical practice they gave her," he said hesitantly, as if he was ashamed that his profession gave him no immediate response to this particular dilemma. "We all know about sex change, but it was more often than not men changing to a woman, not the other way around. I guess it is possible for a woman to be turned into a man by surgery, but to forcibly administer it to a pregnant woman..." He shook his head grimly. "I just never thought it was possible. Don't worry though, your secret is safe with us."

"Thank you for understanding my… wife's condition," said Shigure gratefully, although for Haru, it sounded more like relief. "There are too few people these days that will understand our situation right now, and to hear you say so just warms my heart."

The doctor frowned thoughtfully, staring at his fiancée. "Are you going to let her stay the way she is right now, Sohma-san?"

Shigure leaned back on his seat, a tired look settling on his face. At least this time, to Haru, it looked rather genuine. The canine must have been really tired. "I don't really know, Watabe-sensei… It depends on her, I guess."

Haru, tiring of the tale the novelist was spinning around the couple, stood up. "May I see the baby, Kana-sensei?"

The woman straightened up, dabbing her eyes with her handkerchief. "Of course, Sohma-kun… Right this way. Excuse us, Omi-kun, Sohma-san."

Haru followed her through the hallway with his hands shoved in his pockets. As they passed through the kitchen, he saw a huge aquarium, acting as a divider. He paused, studying it intently.

Kana must have noticed he was no longer following. "Is there something wrong, Sohma-kun?'

"Are there any fish here at all?"

Confused, Kana stood beside him, looking at the aquarium quite fondly. "Of course there are. There are the sea horses."

"I meant _real_ fish."

"Hm, you mean fish like gold fish and angel fish?" she said, picking up the bottle of fish pellets and dropping several into the water. "No. I have a strange liking over sea horses. I find them real cute and easy to raise, unlike any other pets."

"I thought they are much more complicated to keep," said Haru, having watched Momiji try raising a couple of sea horses for Hatori a few years back (which ended up in the belly of a very hungry orange cat, to a much larger sea horse's wrath).

"Really?" said Kana in surprise, at Haru's nod, she shrugged. "I guess I just really like them so I never notice."

_Hm… a mystery… Is that liking had something to do with Hatori-san?_

"Why do you like them so much, Kana-san?"

Kana frowned thoughtfully. "I actually don't know. I seem to remember having a pet sea horse before, and that I really, really love him. But somehow, he got lost… And I never knew what happened to him. So when I finally had some cash, I bought lots of them in his memory."

The ox was quiet. He was with Momiji when the incident between Akito and Hatori happened, and both of them watched silently as the sea horse emerged from the room he shared with Kana, pale and shaking. Somehow, her story about her 'pet' sea horse was too close to what really happened for comfort. So Haru decided to let it go.

"So who does the baby resemble, Kana-san?"

* * *

Kana watched as the white and black haired-boy peered at the infant within the incubator carefully. She found a great liking at the strange, quiet boy. He was very much well mannered and smart, and she felt very much comfortable with him.

It felt like she had known him for quite a while now, which she found weird. It was the first time she had seen the boy. The flash of familiarity when the boy first looked at her was also disconcerting, much like the novelist's expression when he opened the door.

"Is he really a boy, Kana-sensei? But he looks so… girl."

Kana shook herself out of her thoughts and turned to the boy with a slight smile. "Indeed. Maybe it's his pale skin and brown hair that made you say so… But he looks really sweet, doesn't he? Besides, looking feminine isn't that bad. I'm sure he'll grow out of it in a few years time."

She was rather startled at the blush coming on the boy's face. "I'm not saying looking like a girl's bad," he muttered, apparently remembering something, or someone. He turned his dark eyes back at the sleeping infant. "Besides, he looks too much like Hatori-san to be a girl."

Kana started. "H-hatori?"

The boy glanced at her curiously, and seeing her expression, his eyes widened and opened his mouth soundlessly.

She heard that name before. She was certain (and she was confused as hell to know how) that that name had once been a significant factor of her life, but once she began delving her memory for more information, she found a strange emptiness.

Nothing.

_Impossible!_

How could something she felt was so important be _**nothing**_ in her mind? It began to frustrate her. Other memories she could remember, but she filtered thru them, searching for that particular name. But the deeper she delved, the more petrifying the nothingness became. It was as if someone sorted through her memories and removed certain parts of it.

It terrified her.

"Why does that name so familiar?"

"Probably it was the name of your pet sea horse."

The soft voice broke into her thoughts. Kana whirled to see the boy holding out a piece of paper. She recognized it as one of her prescription pads. In it, by her own hand, a doodle of a sea horse was drawn with a speech bubble saying 'Hi! I'm Hatori and I love water!'.

She carefully took it, trying to stop her hands from shaking. When had she done this? She vaguely remembered sitting down one afternoon in this room, waiting for Omi and doodling absently. But why she drew a sea horse and named it Hatori was beyond her.

She shook herself again, trying to regain her composure. She looked back at the boy who hadn't remove his eyes from her. "Why, it must be, Sohma-kun! How silly of me to forget," she chuckled. The boy held a doubtful look, but she couldn't really blame him. Her voice sounded too cheerful to be genuine. "Although, why does your mother have a masculine name?"

"My mother?" She waved at the room next door, and the boy understood. "Oh, that isn't my mother. That's my cousin. And about his—I mean _her_—name, it's actually Haori, but Shigure-san called her Hatori outside our house. That way, people won't ask silly questions."

"Oh," was Kana's intelligent reply. She still too shaken at the discovery of too many holes in her memory, and she knew she needed some time alone. Fast. "I'm sorry Sohma-kun, but can I leave you here for a minute? I need… uh, to get something upstairs."

The boy shrugged and turned his attention back to the infant once more.

Kana hurriedly left the room and fled upstairs, locking herself in the bathroom. She couldn't stop shaking. The feeling of mixed dread and despair was threatening to swallow her up.

It scared her shitless.

But what was more frightening, she didn't even know what caused it.

* * *

Haru sighed as Kana left the room. It was honestly a close call, and he wanted to kick himself for not watching out his words. Kana hadn't been close to him in the past, but whenever the woman spoke to him and Momiji, they always get along really well. He felt a sense of security and fell for it.

Fortunately, he glimpsed a piece of paper in the floor and scooping it out, he found a credible excuse. But he could see the woman didn't really buy it, and the troubled look on her face told him she was trying to remember.

He wondered briefly what would happen if Kana suddenly remembered everything.

He shuddered.

Haru hoped she wouldn't.

He was sure it was going to break the woman's heart once more, and she will fell into that ruinous depression again. And when that happened, Hatori will have to do the same soul-breaking task he had to do to save her. Hatori had suffered enough already the first time. To do it a second time…

Haru shook his head and simply stared at the baby.

The infant does look like Hatori, but he inherited his _real_ mother's light brown hair. Haru wondered what the color was the baby's eyes. Perhaps it would be Hatori's olive-colored eyes… At least the baby didn't inherit any deformities Hatori's animal counterpart might—

His eyes snapped wide.

_The curse…_

Then, just as sudden, he relaxed. He remembered Kana stepping out of the operating room holding the baby in her arms. A baby, not a sea horse.

No one in the Juunishi died recently, so it was safe to assume that Hatori's son would be perfectly normal. It was also a relief that the baby turned out to be a boy. Haru knew how much it would hurt Hatori not to be able to hold his child. At least the infant had that certainty that eluded most of the Juunishi: the certainty that your parents want you.

"Hey, kid," he spoke thru the glass. "Grow up soon, ok? I need a kid brother again... Momiji grew up so fast."

Of course, Haru conveniently forgot that he and Momiji are of the same age.

**

* * *

A/N: **

Yep, I'm back again! I've been stuck in the Death Note land since March and still, I couldn't get out… hm, maybe it's because I don't want to leave (I'm absolutely hooked on it, much like L is to sugar)… but anyway! Here's chapter 14 of Curse of the Sea Horse! Yay! (-,-)v

The gist of Shigure's excuse of Hatori being pregnant while a male is this: someone who has an uncanny fixation for sex change 'kidnapped' his 'wife' and apparently turned him into a 'man' while pregnant. Shigure apparently found this hilarious for some reason, while Haru can't find any humor in it (just like you all probably, eh… (-.-;) ).

Oh, and before I forget, by this chapter, I'll start responding to reviews and stuff. I realized I've been missing out on friends by not responding to such wonderful reviewers! You guys are the best ever, and I can't take you enough for taking time to review my story. So I decided to honor that by replying… (-,-)v

So… questions, suggestions, remarks, exclamations, gasps, tears, giggles and LOLs are welcome!

Um, I deliberately left out _critiques_ and _violent reactions_ as people tend to abuse these two, and my heart could take only so much. If you're going to leave something like these two, please be reasonable and considerate.

If not, I'll write you off in my Death Note.. BWAHAHAH—(cough) Ahem..

Aa.. no other stuff to explain. (-.-)

Thanks a lot for reading!


	15. Chapter 15

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter XV.**

* * *

Ayame paced in the hallway, hands clasped together under his chin. His greenish yellow eyes kept darting towards the phone, waiting anxiously. He muttered some inaudible words from time to time, as if trying to convince himself of something. 

Kyo found himself becoming more and more irritated with the snake's continuous pacing as time passed.

It had been three hours ago that Shigure had called to tell them that they had brought Hatori to a nearby clinic, and the doctor had immediately seen to him. Hatori would have to undergone cesarean operation, apparently. But, as Hatori's condition was worse than what they expected, there will be some danger to his health and the child's. The storm raging outside didn't help their case either. They may have to stay in the clinic until the storm passed.

Ever since that call, the silver-haired Juunishi had quietly ordered the teens to stay in the kitchen and prepare some food, before stepping out to make another phone call. Dinner came and went but still, the snake didn't touch his plate. Kagura had approached Ayame in concern, but the tailor shocked both teens when he lashed angrily out, "I'll eat when I want to. Now leave me alone!"

The boar had drawn back with eyes watering and a hand over her mouth with a hurt expression, before mumbling a shaky apology. Ayame himself was looking stunned at his own outburst, but he hastily retreated away, leaving the teary-eyed boar feeling worse than ever. Kyo comforted the young woman, who for once was not fawning over him, as best as he could, by awkwardly patting her shoulders as she cried all over him. After a while, she fell asleep, her head resting on her arms on the table.

The sharp ringing of the phone broke the cat's thoughts. He turned his crimson eyes in time just to see the snake snatching the phone from its cradle.

"Hello? … Oh. … No, he's not here yet. … He—he's being taken care of. … Yes, of course. Shigure was there with him. … We—have no news as of yet. … … I… No, that won't be necessary. … WHAT?!"

The snake's voice had changed drastically. From cool and collected, his voice turned from dismay to downright horrified. Kyo stood carefully up, wanting to hear more clearly.

"H-how soon? … … But he's not here yet! His condition may be worse than we thought so recovery might take too long! And where did she get the address anyway?! … Oh… … Oh, this is bad. … Yes, yes, I know. …. … Thank you, Kureno-san."

Kyo stiffened at the mention of the rooster's name. If Ayame was talking to the rooster, then it has something to do with Akito. Kureno deals only with the bastard's personal matters.

What in hell was happening?

"What the hell?"

Ayame replaced the phone back into its cradle, before turning to face him with a strangely grim expression. "Akito wants to see Hatori."

* * *

Hatori avoided looking at the doctor's eyes. He had woken one and a half hours ago, and had been filled in by Shigure of what had happened since he had lost consciousness. 

To say that he was shocked was a very shallow understatement.

He actually wanted to jump right out of the window and end it all right there and then, than to face what, or better yet _**who**_, was coming ahead of him. But after a few calming breathes, the sea horse realized he didn't want Shigure to have something to blackmail him with if in case Hatori survived the fall.

So there he was, lying rigidly on the bed, his hands both clenched tightly at his sides, trying desperately not to have a panic attack. The doctor was looking at him with concern, while Shigure was stroking his hair rather affectionately. Hatori would have to castrate the dog later when he got on his feet again, but for now, all he could manage was let out a quiet moan of helplessness.

The doctor, Watabe as his nameplate announced, leaned over him with a kind smile. "Don't worry, Haori-san. You're out of immediate danger now," he said, sliding his pen on his coat's chest pocket. "Although, I'm very much shocked at your swift recovery, Haori-san. Most, if not all, patients of eclampsia had to suffer more severe complications, like bleeding and coma, even death, but I'm pleased nonetheless."

Hatori forced himself to listen to what Watabe was saying despite his nerves. The sea horse of course knew what the doctor was talking about, but was not at all surprised at his swift recovery. The spirit of his Juunishi counterpart was healing the damage done by eclampsia; the majestic dragon of the Zodiac wouldn't want a damaged body for a host anyway.

"My child," he said thickly, forcing the words from his constricted throat. "I… want to see him."

Shigure leaned over him, a slight frown on his face. "He was placed in the incubator, Haori-chan, my love," Hatori's eye twitched. Shigure had told him about the sex change issue. There goes another reason to go and castrate the dog. "Watabe-sensei said our baby might be too weak to breathe for himself just yet."

Watabe nodded. "Your husband is correct, Haori-san. Although the child, as I've said, was out of immediate danger, he is still three-months premature. Too few infants are able to survive such early delivery."

"I'm a doctor too, Watabe-san," said Hatori, gesturing to Shigure that he wanted to sit up. The dog immediately assisted him up, arranging pillows so Hatori could lean back comfortably. "I have an incubator at home. When can we leave?"

"You may leave at an hour or two, at the least," replied the doctor, but gestured outside, "But as you can see, the storm just hit the city, so I must forbid you to leave just yet. You're welcome here to stay as long as necessary, Haori-san, Shigure-san."

Shigure bowed to the doctor, with slight moisture in his eyes, "Thank you very much, Watabe-sensei. You are too kind to me and my darling Haori-chan."

Watabe laughed as he waved a hand. "It's nothing. I'm glad I could help," he straightened up and headed towards the door. "I'll fix us some dinner."

As the door closed behind the doctor, Shigure opened his mouth to speak, but Hatori beat him to it. "Don't you dare call me _that _again, are we clear, Shigure?"

Shigure's face broke into a tired grin, "I wasn't going to."

"You _enjoyed_ calling me that."

The dog sank to a nearby couch. "It was fun, but not that fun," he said, looking out of the rain-splattered window. "I had to inform _her_, you know…"

Hatori didn't answer. He doesn't have an answer for that. He instead studied his cousin's grim expression. Knowing the novelist as well as he did, Hatori knew Shigure was beating himself up again inside.

"It wasn't your fault. It _is_ your duty to inform her."

Shaking his head, the dog chuckled mirthlessly. "I'm such a great friend, aren't I? Ratting out on my friends like that…"

It doesn't take a genius to know what the dog was thinking. By informing the head of the family of the childbirth, Shigure had deliberately hastened the deal made between the sea horse and their 'god'. Soon, Hatori would have to meet with Akito and surrender his child to whatever the head of the family planned for him.

An icy feeling settled in Hatori's heart, chilling him to the bone.

"I'm so—"

"Stop the self-pity, Shigure," snapped Hatori, dragging a hand through his disheveled hair. "I have more than enough of that already."

The dog looked at him before nodding once. A quiet minute passed between them before the novelist spoke quietly. "Would you like me to be around when…" his voice trailed off.

He understood the novelist's incomplete sentence nonetheless. "No."

Sighing, Shigure stood up. "You better rest up, Haa-san."

Hatori nodded and watched the novelist walk to the door. "Shigure."

"Hm?"

"Who… does he resemble?"

Shigure turned with a slight grin, "He looked a lot like his super good looking uncle. A dashing young man, I must say," the dog gave a cheerful wave before closing the door behind him.

"Why did I bother asking?" sighed Hatori, as he leaned back on his bed.

He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. It seemed as if only a few minutes had passed when a knock sounded on the door, rousing Hatori up. He blinked his eyes sleepily and watched as the door opened slowly to reveal the young woman he had so desperately wished he wouldn't have to face again.

He froze in mid-yawn.

"Good evening, Haori-san," she said, stepping into the room. She smiled. "How are you feeling?"

His breath hitched.

She looked exactly like she did in his dreams, when she was smiling at him; laughing freely… caressing his face… holding his hand… singing softly as they walked together… whispering how much she loves him…

"I'm fine," was all he managed to say. It sounded horribly unconvincing, even to his own ears.

Kana glanced at him, concern written across her face. "Are you hurting somewhere, Haori-san?"

_Yes. Yes, I am hurting… But it's a pain beyond any medical practice in existence…and __**you**__, of all people, are the only one can heal me… and can break me at the same time…_

"No, I just want to get some more sleep," he replied, fixing his eyes anywhere but the hazel brown eyes beside him. He was afraid that if he did, his defenses would break down completely.

"I see…" she said softly. She fidgeted slightly, before continuing, "Is it alright, Haori-san, if I stay here for a while? I find comfort in this room when it's raining…"

Hatori wanted nothing more than to shove her away, to stop torturing his soul just by being in the same room as he was. He was on the verge of saying she should stay somewhere else, when he caught the expression on her face. He looked away.

"Of course…"

"Thanks, Haori-san…"

She settled in the couch facing the window, watching the rain with her back to him. Hatori was somehow glad for that fact. At least he could speak to her without having to look at her face. Not that he would, however. He could imagine all the things he wanted to tell her right this very moment, and all of those are forbidden. Instead, he quietly waited for her to break the mounting silence that settled in the room, broken only by the howling wind and battering rain outside.

The silence had gone on for so long that Hatori started to wonder if Kana had fallen asleep on the couch. He sighed. He had to talk somehow…

"W-watabe-san?"

He cursed inwardly. It was just a name. He shouldn't have such a hard time saying it.

"Hmm? Oh, and I'm not yet a Watabe, Haori-san. 'Kana' will do."

He grimaced slightly. He had hoped he'd never have to call her by the name again. "May I ask you a favor?"

Kana leapt at her feet at that. She went to his bedside with the same look of concern she gave him earlier. "Is there anything you need, Haori-san?"

"Actually, I would like to…" he trailed off, wondering if it was actually a good idea to continue. But Kana was waiting expectantly, with her eyebrow quirked and lips pouting slightly, like they always does when she was curious. She was more beautiful now than his memories… At that moment, Hatori threw all his caution to the wind.

"I want you to sing something for me."

"W-what?!"

The surprise on Kana's face was priceless. He would have laughed out loud and suffered hell breaking loose as Kana hit him with her small yet powerful palms, if the events with Akito had not transpired almost a year ago. As it had, he settled for smiling lightly.

"The song 'Moon on the Water' by the Dying Breed," he looked away, his smile melting completely. "It was our favorite song…"

The shock left her face to be replaced by a dreamy smile. "You and Shigure-san are so sweet. That was such a beautiful song."

_Our song, Kana…__**Ours**__…_

She smiled gently at him, making his heart break all over again. "I'm not a very good singer, but…" she trailed off. She sat on the side of the bed, letting her legs hang off the floor and swinging them slowly. She took a deep breath.

--

_Full moon sways,_

_Gently in the night of one fine day…_

_On my way,_

_Looking for a moment with my dear…_

--

He closed his eyes, blocking all the sound of the wind and the rain outside until only one sound remained… her voice…

--

_Full moon waves,_

_Slowly on the surface of the lake_

_You are there,_

_Smiling in my arms through all those years… _

--

The moment his eyes stung and began to water, he knew it was wrong to ask her to sing. And that song, no less. Every single memory of them together flooded his mind, taunting him, teasing him as they danced around his head. He could see them, but never feel them again ever.

But he couldn't bring himself to make her stop…

--

_What a fool,_

_I don't know about tomorrow_

_What it's like to be... aaaah_

_--_

It was a mistake… He knew that. But nothing had felt as right as he did at that moment. After all those long months without her, having her sit near him and singing their song quietly in that soft voice of hers was as close to heaven he could ever hope to be.

All hell be damned. Nothing can take this moment away from him.

_This __**is**__ my heaven_.

--

_I was sure_

_I couldn't make myself go_

_Even though I feel… the end…_

**

* * *

**

**A/N:** Chapter 15… Yeah, yeah, I know there's too much drama in Hatori in this… But I can never have enough of Haa-san's emotional episodes. You never see one in the anime or the manga. I mean, yeah, you see him getting all lonely over Kana leaving, but you never get to see how much he was suffering. He's that cool, emotionless and logical guy all the time.

Anyway, I thought only a few of you liked the previous chapter, as only 8 reviewed, 1 in PM… Not to seem like a review-starved writer, but I **AM** a ravenous review-starved writer. I live off reviews like most other writers. I have a terrible inferiority complex so I get depressed for stuff like that… () As the previous chapter received few feedbacks, I guess it's not too good. I hope you like this one better.

Song lyrics is '_**Moon on the Water**_' sung by **Beat Crusaders** featured in the anime **Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad **as sung by the fictional band the _Dying Breed_ One of the best anime ever, Beck…

Thanks for reading!


	16. Chapter 16

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter XVI.**

* * *

He stared as the rain pelted his outstretched hand, relishing the feeling of the water battering his skin mercilessly. A cigarette hung loosely in the corner of his mouth, letting out a thin stream of smoke, lending him enough warmness to battle the cold wind. 

After a while, he pulled his hand back into the warmness of the room. He shut the window quietly and went back to the couch he had been sitting on hours ago. Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, he released a deep breath, letting the smoke out of his lungs.

It has been almost a day since they arrived in the clinic. The storm had kept them inside and what with an infant and a weakened Hatori with them, they couldn't just risk braving to leave just yet.

A glance at the clock told him it was some five hours before they would have to leave the clinic. Hopefully, the storm should have abated by then.

A rustling movement made him look up, in time to see his young cousin getting up from the opposite couch to rub his eyes blearily and peer in the darkness.

"Go back to sleep, Haa-kun…"

The boy blinked at him sleepily before nodding, turning his back from the novelist as he snuggled further on the couch. "You should sleep too, Shigure-san."

The novelist nodded even if he knew the boy couldn't see it, crushing his cigarette in the ashtray nearby which was already filled with burnt out stubs. "Good night, Haa-kun."

But Shigure didn't sleep. He couldn't. Not with his fear for later today.

Absently, he felt his pockets for another cigarette. He sighed in dismay. The case was empty. He sat there for a while before dragging himself up and plodding towards the kitchen. The doctor Watabe said they are free to take what food he has.

Might as well get a hot cup of tea.

He was in the middle of pouring steaming water into his cup when he heard it: the sound of a quickly suppressed sob. It came further down the hall where the clinic was.

Curiously, he set the kettle down and followed the sound.

_"I remember."_

Shigure stopped in his tracks. _Kana?_

_"I remember. Hatori… I remember everything."_

The dog's eyes widened.

* * *

Hatori was speechless. 

Since he had spent the day sleeping, Hatori was unable to sleep for the night. He had carefully gotten up, fully intending to see the infant he carried with him for months. He did not, however, expect to see the mother of his child cradling him with her face marked with dry tear-streaks. She was staring at the baby with such tenderness that made the sea horse's heart constrict.

"I remember."

"Watabe-san…"

She looked up slowly, her face breaking into the saddest smile he hoped never to see again. "I remember. Hatori… I remember everything."

It was her. This was _**his**_ Kana.

"Kana…"

She took her eyes away from him, as if unable to look at his face for long, and gazed instead at the baby in her arms, still smiling brokenly. "Our little boy… Hatori. We—," she sobbed quietly, glancing up to him. "We're parents now. Can you believe it? He's so sweet looking… He looks a lot like you, Hatori."

Hatori remained by the doorway, unable to move. He wasn't sure if he was still even breathing.

"How could I forget you, Hatori? All those times I've spent with you… Those—those are my most precious memories. But I somehow lost them. I… I don't really understand _how_ I did, but… I knew _**why**_ I did. And…" she paused, caressing the infant's cheek gently. She was trembling slightly, and her voice began to quaver. "I know I'm **not** supposed to remember anything… because you're going to be hurt, again and again because of me… I don't want that. I don't want to get you hurt, Hatori!"

He wanted to go to her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and their child as she sobbed quietly, wanting to protect them as fiercely as he could. But… he couldn't. He was powerless to do so. For he knew that in the end… it was all for nothing.

She sighed, closing her eyes, planting a long, tender kiss on the baby's cheek.

Even as Hatori's heart broke at the scene, he engraved it in his memory, detail by little detail. The way the flickering light from the rain outside cast a blue hue over them, the way the air smelled of fresh flowers, the way Kana's arms tightened around their sleeping child, before setting him down in the bed, never to pick him up again as his mother.

She kissed the baby once more, whispering words of love in the tiny ear that the child would never even remember, before straightening up to face Hatori. Unlike the first time, she wasn't mindless with grief. Rather, the pain she felt was reflected by the way she humbly submitted herself to fate.

"I'm ready," she whispered, staring at Hatori.

He didn't know when he moved, but the next thing Hatori knew, he had his arms on her shoulders, chin resting on the top of her head, caressing her soft hair, and inhaling her scent; it was the closest thing to an embrace they managed before without him turning into a sea horse.

"I'll remember, Kana. For both of us… I'll never forget."

He felt another sob rock her body.

"_Shoshun_… 'Early spring'. Hatori… It's not spring yet, but I—"

He nodded and tightened his hold of her. "I know. Of course… _Shoshun_."

"I'll… never stop loving you. And Shun-chan… Even… even if I forget…"

He chuckled quietly. "Yeah… I noticed the sea horses."

Kana laughed, but the tears spilled out of her eyes, as she leaned her head on his shoulder, careful not to make any body contact. Her fists closed on his shirt tightly.

"Do it, Hatori."

"Kana, I—"

She looked up to him, tears running down her cheeks even as she smiled. "I want it to happen here, while I'm in your arms… While we're smiling… Not like the last time," her voice broke more than once, but her smile never changed. One of her hands found his left hand and gently squeezed it. "Please, Hari-chan?"

It was as if the entire world stopped spinning and was hushed at that moment. Not a whisper of sound could be heard, no battering rain on the roof, no howling wind…

His free hand moved upwards and touched to warm forehead that was turned up so trustingly to him. He saw Kana closed her eyes, still smiling that sad smile of hers.

"I'll never cause you pain again, Hatori."

There came a flash of white light. And the world came alive once more.

But somehow for Hatori, as he cradled the unconscious form of the woman he loves, the world has just stopped breathing.

* * *

Shigure glanced at the rear-view mirror at the reflection of Kana and her fiancé waving cheerfully at the clinic's door. The dog waved back with a smile before guiding the car out of the curb. 

Haru was sitting beside him in the passenger's seat. The boy kept glancing backwards with a slight frown on the usually blank face. At the red stoplight, Shigure spared a glance at the object of the ox's concern, and felt his own eyes narrow in disquiet.

Hatori was sitting languidly on the backseat, staring at his child wrapped in several blankets in his arms. While there was nothing wrong with that picture, the subtle look of indifference in the sea horse's eyes was enough to cause the dog worry.

"So, Haa-san," he said cheerfully. "What're you going to call him?"

The sea horse only stared at him.

"Ooh! Let me give him a name! Let's call him… George! … What? I like the name. Well then how about… Jack? Or, or! William! Hmm. But maybe—"

"Shoshun."

Shigure glanced quickly at him, giving the sea horse a wide grin. "Hm, 'early spring'… nice choice. But I still think William suits him bett—"

"Drop it, Shigure."

The novelist fell silent, mind working furiously. "Haa-kun," he said, turning to the younger Juunishi. "Did you call Aaya we're going home already?"

The boy nodded. "Ayame-san told us to hurry. Apparently, Kyo transformed and choked on a rock he'd mistaken for a rat."

"We'd better go and help Kyo then, won't we? And I miss my Aaya too much as it is."

"No. We're not going there."

Frowning, Shigure spared another glance at him. "Do you want to go somewhere before we go home? Are you hungry? I told Aaya to order some food for us and—"

"Take me to the Estate."

Shigure narrowly missed skidding into a sidewalk, jerking all of them slightly forward. "Haa-san, you—"

Hatori met the dog's eyes calmly. "Take me to Akito."

* * *

Ayame hated walking through the corridors of the Main House. It gives him a feeling as if he was walking on somebody's funeral. But his purpose of visit drove him to ignore that nagging feeling of misery. It was a good thing too, that he had worn his happy color of yellow for the occasion; it makes walking in the dreary corridors, well… less dreary. 

A red-haired man stood by a closed door. Burgundy eyes met yellow as they inclined their heads to each other in respect.

"Ayame-san. Is Hatori-san still not with you?

"Oh, Kure-san. Tori-san is still indisposed, but I assure you that once he is up and able, he would come rushing to the arms of our sweet Akito," he said, smiling widely. His heart was hammering, of course, but why ruin a beautiful face by frowning needlessly? "I would like to speak with our dear Head of the family alone, if you please."

Kureno was not a fussy man by nature as he gave a nod and disappeared inside. Ayame, however, did not have to wait long, as Akito's voice rose at once.

"—impertinent, disgusting snake business with me! Tell him to leave my chambers now!"

Kureno appeared a moment later with an apologetic look on his face. But Ayame, determined to make the purpose of his visit clear, quickly slithered his way on the half-open door, his animal counterpart lending him the skill.

"Akito!"

The head, who was currently sitting on her futon, glared at him. "I thought I told you—"

"I want to make a deal with you."

Silence fell, and a dark, slender eyebrow rose at his bold statement.

"Start talking, snake."

* * *

**A/N:**

Hm… I wonder what Aaya is planning.

Well yeah, I'm back. I'm in the middle of writing thesis, but the plot for this chapter just popped in my head. It wouldn't leave me alone! So here it is, short chapter, but still... Sorry for the long wait, guys.. I've been swamped. (-.-) but this is barely edited as time constraint forbade me. So please forgive me of the typos and other mistakes. I'll edit them when I got the time.

Thanks for those who encouraged me in my melo-drama in the last chapter.. I hope you guys would stay with me til the end of this story (which, as I see it, may still be a long way yet).. A great big hug to you guys!

Please drop me a line or two on what you think of this story. Thanks very much for reading!


	17. Chapter 17

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter XVII.**

* * *

Yuki stood up, wiping the beads of sweat that covered his forehead to view his handicraft. It had taken him an hour or two to finish up, but he had successfully finished the task at hand, and he was heartily satisfied with the result.

His bed no longer looked like it had been swept by a tornado, which was the usual state of it when he wakes up. This morning however, the covers had been neatly tucked in and smoothed out, the pillows somehow regained the semblance of their original shape by the headboard, and the blankets were folded neatly on top of the pillows.

He smiled slightly and began gathering up his clothing that was littered on the floor. His light mood, however, dropped, the moment he picked up the robe he wore the day before. Large purple eyes, glistened with tears that refused to fall studied the fabric carefully, and the throbbing ache of the blackish bruise on his shoulder doubled at the sight of the unpleasant reminder of being slammed against a wall.

The cloth was splattered with tiny drops of blood and was shredded in places. The dust and dirt that the cloth had accumulated from his time in that dark, dark room dimmed the otherwise comforting color of light blue turning it in the color he was beginning to hate: gray.

Unable to look at the cloth any longer, he crumpled it and threw it on the laundry basket before picking the whole basket up and exiting the room. His heart was heavy as he trudged through the darkened hallways of the Main House. Usually, these corridors would have at least two servants at each turn, but all of them were gone.

_"No one really cares for you…"_

His grip on the basket tightened.

_"…even the servants HATE serving you… Imagine, having to feed a disgusting rat…?"_

Screwing his eyes shut, he tried to block the taunting voice inside his head, echoing the quiet yet cold voice of the head of the family.

_"…now, they're gone… they left because of you…"_

Yuki stopped on his tracks, having trouble to stop his whole body from shaking.

"_It's all YOUR fault!"_

The basket fell as his fingers went all numb. It toppled over, spilling all the clothes it held on the floor. But the rat of the zodiac couldn't't have cared less. He was staring at his shaking hands with wide and frightened eyes.

"My fault…" he mumbled, unable to stop the sob from escaping his lips any further.

Then, he blinked, his head whipping in the direction of Akito's room just across the corridor. It may have been just his imagination, but he thought he heard a strangely familiar voice coming in from that room. Stranger still, the need to see the face behind that voice gripped Yuki's heart.

Yuki took several steps towards the room, but backed away almost instantly in fear. He knew Akito hated eavesdroppers on her private conversations and meetings. What if she caught him listening in? But despite his fear, the need proved much harder to deny.

Cautiously, drawing all the skill he could from his animal counterpart, he made his way to Akito's chambers almost soundlessly. If his heart could only pound a little quieter, maybe Yuki could confidently sit behind the paper doors. But it was hammering so loudly against his chest that he was so sure the people inside could hear it several feet away. Finally, he was able to crouch beside the door.

Someone was laughing boisterously inside, a strange and alien sound in these halls.

"…dear Akito! But you are deliberately misunderstanding me! What I meant to say is that you needn't burden yourself with unnecessary cares! Why, I do believe that if you just let go of those cares, your princess-like beauty will shine through these gloomy little house and—"

A soft voice, yet heavily laced with warning, cut through the blabber "My patience is thinning."

"—sparkle radiance over—Oh, well then. I'll get to the point," the loud voice said abruptly, all traces of mischief gone. "What I meant, Akito, is that caring for a newborn is not practical for you to raise. Think about it, do you really think you could stand hearing an infant's crying in the middle of the night? Are you willing to stand the mess the infant would create here? Of course not. Honestly, who wants that? My point is, even with the discipline you would certainly put upon the child, it is just that: a child. You can't stop it from being playful and noisy as children really are."

_Infant? Child? …What is this all about?_

"I told you," said the head of the family, anger evident in her voice, "I will not have any of my successor to be a bratty kid. I simply won't allow it."

"Yes, well, there is _that_," acquiesced the other voice, "But Akito, you will be battling with the forces of nature and, you'll lose. Be reasonable. A newborn will not stop crying just because you tell it to, or even if you beat it, it will only cry all the more. If you accept my proposition, you'll have your heir ready and able to do your bidding, minus the trouble a baby can bring you. Isn't that just the perfect plan?"

Silence fell inside. Yuki then realized his breathing was little too loud, making him clap his palms over his mouth.

"You want something out of this."

"Why, my dear Akito! I'm glad you notice it so quickly," the other voice regained its former cheer and lightness. "You see, Tori-san—Hatori, I mean—he took a great liking over the scenery at Shigure's place, and I do believe that it is a very conducive place for him to raise the child up, being away from prying and questioning eyes of the Sohma elders. That's why I would like to request his extended stay out of the Estate for three years. He would still be subjected to attend the Zodiac gatherings and the banquet every year of course, only that no one is to know his predicament."

"These are your only terms?" she asked after a long pause.

"Oh, there is this one other thing," the other said rather thoughtfully. The voice, that was once light and cheerful, became cold as steel, chilling Yuki to the bone. "You are not to lay a finger, or even an eye, on the child within that three years. If you break this agreement, your deal with Hatori will be automatically off, and he will be able to keep the child for himself."

In the quiet that followed, Yuki could almost see Akito staring at his visitor eye to eye, violet eyes of the head of the family narrowing in thought.

"I think I'll be able to do that… for a higher price," Akito said finally, her voice full of malice."Do you think you can handle it, snake?"

Yuki's breath hitched, his eyes widening in shock.

_Snake?_

The mental imagery of how his estranged older brother looked like grinning widely flashed in his mind as the voice spoke easily, "I'm quite confident I could."

A sneer. "Your confidence would be your downfall, you impertinent reptile."

"Well, I do think it's one of my stronger points, don't you think?" said voice of the Zodiac's snake, chuckling. "I must say I always enjoy bargaining with you after all these times. I would love to have you visit my shop; it's such a pleasure to serve such customers. Now what is this higher price you're saying, dear Akito?"

"Rushing, are we? You're afraid of what I'm going to ask… afraid that I'll deny you of that one little thing you wanted most in the world… That's good. But don't worry; I won't be taking your hard-earned freedom. No, definitely not that..." trailed off Akito, sounding very much amused. "What I want, Ayame, is far more simpler than that…"

Yuki heard the sound of clothes rustling, and could picture Akito rising from her futon vividly in his mind. When she spoke next, the voice was so quiet that without the heightened hearing sense of Yuki, he couldn't't have heard anything at all.

"Give up on Yuki."

Those four words made Yuki's blood freeze as if a bucket of cold water was thrown on him. His mind utterly failed him, and he sat there, wide-eyed, barely breathing, with mixed emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He sat there, helplessly waiting for the response of the brother who had never even acknowledge his existence.

"W-why… _why_ does it have to be that?"

The rat froze as he heard the shaking voice of his brother. As long as Yuki had known him, however distantly, he had never heard such a tone from the ever confident and lively Ayame.

"Now, now… why are you reacting that way Ayame?" asked the head mockingly. "Aren't you the one who always push him away? What's with the change of heart? Don't tell me you suddenly realized you have a brother and that you actually cared for him. That would be quite hilarious, don't you think? So whom are you going to save now, Ayame? A friend who had always been there with you, or your estranged little brother you barely even remember?"

When Ayame didn't speak again, the hurt escalated once more in Yuki's heart. He stood up abruptly and left.

_That's right. He never bothered with me before. Why would he care now? He'd never care. I'm sure he didn't even know what I look like now, or how old I am now. He… just doesn't care…_

Even as he crawled back in his newly made bed, crumpling the neat sheets once more, he couldn't help but wonder who he hated more… his brother, or himself.

* * *

Ayame had his head bowed; his hands were clenched tightly into fists in his lap. He simply couldn't meet the young woman's sneering eyes. For once, he has nothing to say.

She was right.

They both knew it.

"I…"

_Kami-sama… How on earth can I do this…? _

He forced himself to swallow the knot forming on his throat, tightening the clench of his fists.

"I'll…

_Yuki…_

"I'll… give up the papers," he said finally with difficulty, his clouded eyes rising to meet the disinterested ones of Akito. "You can have them by next week…"

_Yuki…_

"Good. Well then, I'll let Hatori have his filth of a brat, or bastard for that matter," Akito turned her back from Ayame. "Leave now before I change my mind."

"Thank you, Akito," he said, bowing once more before heading out. Once he was outside, and away from earshot from the room, he collapsed against a wall, and let the sobs take over his body.

"Yuki…" he whispered. "I'm so sorry…"

* * *

Shigure looked up from the newspaper he's holding, and one glance at his approaching cousin, he knew something was off. He waited quietly until the snake was sitting beside him in the porch.

"Haa-san went over the Main House, and the children are inside, watching over their newest cousin," he said lightly, keeping one eye on the newspaper and the other in his unusually depressed cousin. "It's a boy and healthy at that, by the way. Shoshun… A rather nice name, don't you think? I'm starting to formulate a nickname too… What do you think of 'George'? Catchy, huh?"

Ayame glanced at him, and said quietly, "Akito knew about the papers. Mother must have spoken to her about it."

"Oh…" said Shigure, immediately understanding. Then his eyes narrowed, he turned, facing the tailor completely. "Aaya, please don't tell me you used that as a bargaining tool." The snake didn't respond, and Shigure clapped a hand on his forehead, shaking his head exasperatedly. "Oh, Aaya… Haa-san will never forgive you for this…"

Ayame sighed. "She would have taken Shunkuchi-kun today if I haven't. Now it'll be three years."

"You already have a nickname, huh?" said Shigure, amused. He grinned at Ayame, hoping to lift his spirits up. "Well then, we can't do anything about it anymore… As I've always said, que sera, sera." His grin softened to a small smile as he added, "And you know, about the papers… there's still Plan B."

Ayame's eyes widened, as a slow smile spread on his face. "Gure-san," he said almost in awe. "You would? You… you really would?"

"Yep!" he winked playfully and cupped the snake's face. "Anything for you, Aaya, my love."

Ayame's eyes glistened with genuine tears, but he laughed loudly, caressing Shigure's cheek. "Oh Gure-san! I am truly nothing without you! Maybe perhaps in a show of gratitude, I'll keep you awake all night moaning with pleasure? (note: full-body massage .)"

"I could just die from excitement!" replied Shigure, eyes twinkling merrily.

"Yes!" they chorused, both with thumbs up.

"Haru, have you seen Shii-chan?" asked Momiji, cradling the baby in his arms carefully. He had been playing with the infant upstairs. "Shun-chan needs a nappy-change! Oh, there they—aaah! Haru! What are you doing?" the rabbit cried in surprise.

Haru, who had been watching the exchange of the adults from behind, covered the rabbit's eyes with his hands, and steered him away. "Don't look. It's bad for your health."

"Awww!!! Shun-chan, Haru is being mean to me…" wailed the rabbit quietly to the clueless infant.

"Believe me, Momiji," said Haru impassively. "You wouldn't want to see."

**

* * *

A/N:**

Uh… yeah, I'm alive… just so you know! (-,-) I'm sorry if I wasn't able to respond to your reviews and stuff...

Schoolwork killed me. The semester break revived me. Now school is going to kill me once more. But hey, I didn't want to go back without writing anything at all, so here's ch.17! –throws confetti in the air—

No Hatori here. I figured he pretty much dominated the last two chapters, and almost no Ayame… So I gave Aaya (and Yuki) the spot light. Shigure was thrown in by the last minute for some sort of closure for the chapter.

Before you ask, as I've said to one reviewer, this story is not for Hatori alone. It's for the Mabudachi, meaning both Aaya and Gure will have some sort of a side story. I'll be using some canon events that I'll somehow twist to fit my story. (-,-) Remember: this is only fanfiction of Natsuki Takaya's brilliant manga Fruits Basket… If you don't know that, I don't even know what're you doing in this site. (-.-;)

Oh yeah, I've got a question. I'm so sorry if I can't decide for myself, but I also want to know what you readers prefer.

Should I include some fillers about Shun growing up, or should I just go get along with the story?

Please tell me what you think of this story. Thank you very much!!!


	18. Chapter 18

**Curse of the Sea Horse**

**Chapter XVIII.**

* * *

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Hatori never even bothered to look up at the horrified voice behind him. He simply turned another page on his newspaper. "There's tea in the kitchen. You may help yourself some."

There was a moment of stunned silence before hurried footsteps bounded up the flight of stairs towards the sound of a wailing baby. Gradually, the noise began to hush into silence.

_Finally. _

He thought it'd never stop.

He sighed, folded the newspaper and tucked it under his arms and padded towards the kitchen where he completely ignored the bubbling tea to pour himself a cup of coffee.

Tea is good for relaxation, but he didn't want to relax.

He needed to be busy.

He's a busy man after all.

Hatori was currently on his fifteenth to-do tasks for tomorrow when the footsteps returned and stopped abruptly by the kitchen doorway. The sea horse could feel the calculating eyes studying him intently, but he ignored it completely. There was really no point in wasting effort with the—

"How long are you planning to do this?" a quiet voice cut through his thoughts.

"Hm? I'll just finish this cup of coffee then I'll—"

"That's not what I meant," the voice said, interrupting.

Hatori sighed. "Then I'm not sure what you're referring to. I'm not actually doing anything—"

"My point exactly," the voice interrupted once more, this time with obvious anger laced with it. "You're _NOT_ doing anything."

Now, that was kind of offending. Hatori is anything but lazy. He is always doing one thing or another. Even now as he is sipping his cup of coffee, he was reviewing some of his patients' medical files.

He's definitely doing _something_.

But he knew telling his visitor that would be pointless.

"It's really none of your concern," Hatori replied evenly.

"None of my concern?" echoed Ayame incredulously. "Hatori, my nephew had just been crying his lungs out minutes ago while you were reading a newspaper!"

"And now he's not, right?" asked Hatori, getting up and rinsing his cup. "I can't see why this bothers you so much."

Ayame was quiet. The snake still had that troubled look on his face. It was a few seconds later that he spoke again. "Had I not visited would you have done anything?"

Hatori paused. "I suppose so. The noise would've gotten to me eventually."

The look of shock in Ayame's face would have been funny if the tension in the air wasn't so rigid. Ayame was shaking his head. "I... I can't believe I gave up Yuki just for you to neglect your son..."

Something in Hatori just snapped with those words. "I never did ask you to," he said coldly, glaring at the snake.

"I know that! And because you are one of my important persons, I still did it!" cried the snake, distraught. "Although had I known that you'll be acting like an insensitive fool and a worthless parent, I shouldn't have bothered and spared myself a lot of pain!"

Hatori stared at the snake. "Maybe you shouldn't have," he agreed quietly. "Who told you I wanted him anyway?"

He heard a half-gasp, half-sob behind him. Hatori didn't need to look to see tears flowing freely on his friend's face.

"Kami-sama... Do you know who you sound like?"

"..."

"You... sound like I did... with my brother."

"No, I'm not," came the smooth response. It was so quick you'd think Hatori planned to say this line all night. "_I_ don't sound pathetic."

There came a quickly stifled sob followed immediately by the door slamming shut. Hatori closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. Now he's done it. He knew how Ayame must have felt after hearing that. It's not like he meant to hurt the snake's feelings. The words just flowed right from his mouth, and before he realized its implications, it was too late.

He heard the door open once more, but paid no heed to it.

"Well, that was absolutely cruel," a new voice commented lightly.

Hatori gave a mental sigh.

"No. He was just being absoultely dramatic," said Hatori, glancing up at the novelist leaning against the doorway. "Here to lecture me too?"

"Nah... Too much drama for me in one day..." said the dog, taking the seat opposite of Hatori and dragged a hand tiredly through his messy hair.

Shigure had a look of a defeated man. While Hatori raised a questioning eyebrow at this, he didn't bother asking. The dog noticed this, and only nodded almost gratefully.

"Besides, I trust you know what you're doing and would surely feel like crap once you realize you're wrong," Shigure added nonchalantly. "Knowing you, you'd probably beat yourself up after, too."

"...Thanks for the vote of confidence," Hatori said wryly.

"No problem," chuckled Shigure before turning completely serious. "Listen, although I won't tell you how much of an ass you've been acting lately, I thought I ought to tell you. I'm taking Shun-kun with me."

Hatori didn't even bat an eyelid. "Why?"

Shigure shrugged. "Maybe it was because of the incident last week when you've gone to the hospital and left your six-month old son ALONE in the house? Or maybe that one time when you left the boy with his nurse for two whole months without even visiting him?" The dog leaned in, looking grim. "Hatori, you're not a reliable parent—heck, it's a shame to even call you that now— to Shun-kun."

"I see..." said Hatori simply. "Do you want me to help you with the packing?"

Shigure opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind halfway. The dog gave a sigh and stood up. "No, don't bother. Besides," Shigure smiled humourlessly. "I believe you have better things to do."

Hatori watched Shigure stalk out of the kitchen expressionlessly.

Oh, he knew of course. He's being callous and downright rude to his friends. How cruel he's become to the boy, how neglectful and generally indifferent. It's just that...

He can't bring himself to care.

It had been six months since he gave birth to 'her' son. And after that fateful night, he couldn't bear the sight of the little boy. He couldn't stand seeing the shadow of the woman who had meant—still means—the life of him. The boy is a constant reminder of the pain he felt when he lost her.

He's a logical man, but anyone who's been broken twice can plead to have a twisted view of reality.

* * *

Momiji hummed softly as he gently swept the stray strands of light brown hair from his sleeping cous—_nephew_'s face before getting back on the couch beside the bed. He gave the sleeping one a little smile before settling back on the couch by the bed.

He, along with Haru, had taken on the responsibility of looking after the newest addition to the Sohma family. Although at first, the two of them can't quite forgive Hatori for treating his son like a stranger, they understand that what was bothering their guardian was beyond their comprehension.

The rabbit gazed fondly at the little boy.

Oh, Shun-chan is truly an adorable baby. Only six months old, and he could already recognize faces, places and things, even if his speech was still gibberish. He would laugh and gurgle happily at the sight of familiar faces and frown while sniffling a little when scared or upset. He only truly cries when he woke up in a room all alone. He doesn't like being alone.

Like any other Sohma, it seemed.

Momiji perked up, ears twitching, and turned towards the door. A minute or two later, it opened gently as Shigure let himself in. The older Sohma gave the rabbit a small wink before settling down on the opposite couch.

"I already talked with Sayaka-san," Shigure said quietly. "She agreed to take you in for the moment. I'm sure Kagura-chan and Rin-chan wouldn't mind your company too much..."

Momiji giggled. "Kagura-nee probably wouldn't. I'm not sure about Rin-chin, though."

Shigure smiled. "I'm sure it'll be alright for now."

"I wish Haru can come here too," Momiji said wistfully.

The dog, knowing the ox's history with the horse of the Zodiac, shook his head. "I believe Haru made the right choice to stay with Haa-san, Momitchi... I do think Haa-san will appreciate the company."

"Yep! I think so too," said Momiji happily.

The rabbit, young as he was, could understand why his older cousins chose Haru to stay with their troubled doctor instead of him. Haru's quiet but steadfast nature would benefit Hatori this time more than Momiji's sunshiny attitude.

Shigure smiled and ruffled the blonde's hair. "That's my Momitchi!"

"But, Shii-chan... Do you think Hari will be alright?" asked Momiji, his large golden eyes filled with concern.

The dog paused, thinking deeply. Then, he sighed. "He'd better, Momitchi..." Shigure stared grimly at the sleeping little boy on the bed. "Time is running out for both of them..."

* * *

"Hatori-san," called Haru, knocking on the doctor's door. "Please come down and have some dinner... Hatori-san?"

There was no response.

The ox frowned, his hand hovering on the handle hesitantly. He knew the door wasn't locked (he tried earlier but drew back immediately) but wasn't sure if it would be right if he would just walk in. On the other hand, he was growing worried by the minute.

The doctor had gone straight to his room once he got home and hasn't been out since then. It was almost seven hours ago.

"Hatori-san, I'm coming in."

Ah, well... Hatori always makes a big issue on eating on time with him and Momiji, so Hatori has too, right?

Haru just stood there and blinked at the empty room. The bed is still as neatly made as it was in the morning. There was no ironed shirt and pants hanging neatly on the clothes rack, ready for tomorrow's wear. No books or medical files laid out on the table for the night's review.

In short, there was no sign that Hatori had been in his room at all.

Wondering where his cousin might be, Haru turned to close the door. Then he stopped, flinging the door wide open.

Was that a crib? And a toy mobile of a complete set of the Juunishi animals hanging over it? How did Hatori's room be painted baby blue when it was beige just this morning?

"Oh... Shun's room," Haru muttered in realization.

No wonder he couldn't see anything that indicates Hatori's presence in this room. Haru was two doors down from Hatori's room after all. Why do doors look alike anyway? So confusing...

He was just about to leave when something moved from the corner of his eye.

There in the couch near the window was Hatori, asleep. In his hands were a blanket Haru recognized as Shun's and a framed photograph (of Kana's, Haru guessed). Haru had never seen the doctor look this exhausted before that even in his sleep he was wearing a fatigued look.

"...want them back... please, don't leave..." Hatori mumbled, shifting uneasily on the couch.

Haru sighed and quietly went outside. After several minutes (in which he entered a wrong room twice and even found himself in the kitchen once, he returned with a glass of warm milk and a plate of cookies in one hand, and a blanket on the other.

He took the photograph and placed it on the desk neatly beside the food he brought before tucking the blanket comfortably around Hatori, the way Hatori himself used to when Haru was younger.

"Now what can I do?" mumbled Haru thoughtfully, looking at the man who had been less of a guardian and more of a brother to him.

Haru is passive by nature so he was rarely determined to do something, unless he was in Black form. But so much pain in someone he cares for was simply unacceptable. He has to do something.

The question is, what can _he_ do?

While he agreed that letting Shun stay with Hatori in this state would be unhealthy for the kid, Haru was not sure it was wise to keep them separate. The kid needs to know his real parent soon, and Hatori, no matter how insensitive he would seem to the boy, needs his son's presence.

The most logical thing to do is to bring them back together.

And that brings Haru back to the ultimate question. Or two, for that matter.

What can he do to do just that? And how?

Just then, a ghost of a smile flitted on his face. Anyone in the family who might have seen him just then, would have been scrambling away, ready for the onset of rage of Black Haru. But _he_ doesn't need to appear.

White Haru is enough to do it, but he's going to need some help.

* * *

**A/N:**

Woot! I am alive! Yay... v(-,-)v

I'm sorry for taking this long and... I have no excuse... (-.-;) Anyways, I hope someone's still reading this after my crappy updating attitude.

Please tell me what you think of this story... Who knows, that might make me update faster... (Oh, man, what a shameful way to ask for reviews! (-.-;)..)

Thanks a lot for reading!


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